Mark 1

John Prepares for Jesus

1 This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, 

2 as the prophet Isaiah wrote:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way.” t

3 “This is a voice of one who calls out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.’ ” t
4 John was baptizing people in the desert and preaching a baptism of changed hearts and lives for the forgiveness of sins.5 All the people from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River.6 John wore clothes made from camel’s hair, had a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey.7 This is what John preached to the people: “There is one coming after me who is greater than I; I am not good enough even to kneel down and untie his sandals.

8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus Is Baptized

9 At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.10 Immediately, as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven open. The Holy Spirit came down on him like a dove,

11 and a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with you.”
12 Then the Spirit sent Jesus into the desert.

13 He was in the desert forty days and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels came and took care of him.

Jesus Chooses Some Followers

14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the Good News from God.

15 He said, “The right time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Change your hearts and lives and believe the Good News!”
16 When Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw Simon 17 Jesus said to them, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”

18 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 Going a little farther, Jesus saw two more brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets.

20 Jesus immediately called them, and they left their father in the boat with the hired workers and followed Jesus.

Jesus Forces Out an Evil Spirit

21 Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum. On the Sabbath day He went to the synagogue and began to teach.22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught like a person who had authority, not like their teachers of the law.23 Just then, a man was there in the synagogue who had an evil spirit in him. He shouted,

24 “Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are—God’s Holy One!”
25 Jesus commanded the evil spirit, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!”

26 The evil spirit shook the man violently, gave a loud cry, and then came out of him.
27 The people were so amazed they asked each other, “What is happening here? This man is teaching something new, and with authority. He even gives commands to evil spirits, and they obey him.”

28 And the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the area of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People

29 As soon as Jesus and his followers left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and the people told Jesus about her.

31 So Jesus went to her bed, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them.
32 That evening, after the sun went down, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick and had demons in them.33 The whole town gathered at the door.

34 Jesus healed many who had different kinds of sicknesses, and he forced many demons to leave people. But he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.
35 Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where he prayed.36 Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus.

37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus answered, “We should go to other towns around here so I can preach there too. That is the reason I came.”

39 So he went everywhere in Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and forcing out demons.

Jesus Heals a Sick Man

40 A man with a skin disease came to Jesus. He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “You can heal me if you will.”
41 Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, “I will. Be healed!”

42 Immediately the disease left the man, and he was healed.
43 Jesus told the man to go away at once, but he warned him strongly,44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well. 45 The man left there, but he began to tell everyone that Jesus had healed him, and so he spread the news about Jesus. As a result, Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. He stayed in places where nobody lived, but people came to him from everywhere.

Mark 1

The Ministry of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the gospels of Jesus Christ,t the Son of God.ss

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,s
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way,s

3 the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
makeshis paths straight.’”s
4 In the wildernesst John the baptizert began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.s5 Peoplet from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalems were going out to him, and he was baptizing themt in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.6 John wore a garment made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.s7 He proclaimed,t “One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthyts to bend down and untie the strapt of his sandals.

8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9 Nowt in those days Jesus came from Nazareths in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.t10 And just as Jesust was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavenst splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.s11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my one dear Son;t in you I take great delight.”ts12 The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness.

13 He was in the wilderness forty days,s enduring temptations from Satan. Het was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs.t

Preaching in Galilee and the Call of the Disciples

14 Now after John was imprisoned,t Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospels of God.t15 Het said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of Gods is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”16 As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).s17 Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.”ts18 They left their nets immediately and followed him.s19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in theirt boat mending nets.

20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus’ Authority

21 Thent they went to Capernaum.ss When the Sabbath came,t Jesust went into the synagogues and began to teach.22 The people theret were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority,s not like the experts in the law.t23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit,s and he cried out,t24 “Leave us alone,ts Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy Ones of God!”25 Butt Jesus rebuked him:t “Silence! Come out of him!”s26 After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him.27 They were all amazed so that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.”

28 Sot the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.

Healings at Simon’s House

29 Nowt as soon as they left the synagogue,s they entered Simon and Andrew’s house, with James and John.30 Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, sot they spoke to Jesust at once about her.31 He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to servet them.32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.33 The whole town gathered by the door.

34 Sot he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons.s Butt he would not permit the demons to speak,s because they knew him.s

Praying and Preaching

35 Thent Jesust got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.t36 Simon and his companions searched for him.37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”38 He replied,t “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.”t

39 Sot he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagoguess and casting out demons.

Cleansing a Leper

40 Nowt a lepers came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “Ift you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said.41 Moved with compassion,s Jesust stretched out his hand and toucheds him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!”42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean.43 Immediately Jesust sent the mant away with a very strong warning.44 He told him,t “See that you do not say anything to anyone,s but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commandeds for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”t

45 But as the mant went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesust was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Stillt they kept comingt to him from everywhere.