1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2As it is written in Isaiah, the prophet, Lo! I send mine angel before thy face, that shall make thy way ready before thee.

3The voice of a crier in desert, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, make ye his paths right. [The voice of one crying in desert, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, make ye his paths rightful.]

4John was in desert baptizing, and preaching the baptism of penance, into remission of sins.

5And all the country of Judea went out to him, and all men of Jerusalem; and they were baptized of him in the flume [or the flood] of Jordan, acknowledging their sins.

6And John was clothed with hairs of camels, and a girdle of skin was about his loins; and he ate honey-suckles, and wild honey, [or locusts, and honey of the wood],

7and preached, and said, A stronger than I shall come after me, and I am not worthy to kneel down, and unloose, [or to undo, or unbind, the thong of] his shoes.

8I have baptized you in water; but he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost.

9And it was done in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

10And anon he went up of the water, and saw heavens opened, and the Holy Ghost [or the Spirit] coming down as a culver, and dwelling on him.

11And a voice was made from heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am pleased.

12And anon the Spirit put him forth into desert.

13And he was in desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted of Satan, and he was with beasts, and angels ministered to him.

14But after that John was taken, Jesus came into Galilee, and preached the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15and said, That the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God shall come nigh; do ye penance [or repent ye], and believe ye to the gospel.

16And as he passed beside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew, his brother, casting their nets into the sea; for they were fishers.

17And Jesus said to them, Come ye after me; I shall make you to be made fishers of men.

18And anon they left the nets, and pursued him.

19And he went forth from thence a little, and saw James of Zebedee, and John, his brother, in a boat making their nets.

20And anon he called them; and they left Zebedee, their father, in the boat with hired servants, and they pursued him.

21And they entered into Capernaum, and anon in the sabbaths, he went into the synagogue, and taught them.

22And they wondered on his teaching; for he taught them, as he that had power, and not as [the] scribes.

23And in the synagogue of them was a man in an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

24and said, What to us and to thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? hast thou come to destroy us? I know that thou art the Holy of God.

25And Jesus threatened him, and said, Wax [thou] dumb, and go out of the man.

26And the unclean spirit wrenching him, and crying with a great voice, went out from him.

27And all men wondered, so that they sought within themselves, and said, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for in power he commandeth to unclean spirits, and they obey to him.

28And the fame, [or the tale, or tiding], of him went forth anon into all the country of Galilee.

29And anon they went out of the synagogue, and came into the house of Simon and of Andrew, with James and John.

30And the mother of Simon’s wife lay sick in the fevers; and anon they say to him of her.

31And he came nigh, and areared her, and when he had taken her hand, anon the fever left her, and she served them.

32But when the eventide was come, and the sun was gone down, they brought to him all that were of mal-ease, and them that had fiends. [Forsooth the evening made, when the sun went down, they brought to him all having evil, and having devils.]

33And all the city was gathered at the gate.

34And he healed many, that had diverse sicknesses, and he cast out many fiends [or devils], and he suffered them not to speak, for they knew him.

35And he rose full early [or in the morrowing], and went out, and went into a desert place, and prayed there.

36And Simon pursued him, and they that were with him.

37And when they had found him, they said to him, That all men seek thee.

38And he said to them, Go we into the next towns and cities, that I preach also there, for thereto [or to this thing] I came.

39And he preached in the syna-gogues of them, and in all Galilee, and casted out fiends.

40And a leprous man came to him, and besought, kneeling, and said, If thou wilt, thou mayest cleanse me.

41And Jesus had mercy on him, and stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, I will, be thou made clean.

42And when he had said this, anon the leprosy parted [or went] away from him, and he was cleansed.

43And Jesus threatened him, and anon put him out,

44and said to him, See thou, say to no man; but go, show thee to the prince of priests, and offer for thy cleansing into witnessing to them, those things that Moses bade.

45And he went out, and began to preach, and to publish the word, so that now he might not go openly into the city, but be withoutforth in desert places; and they came to him on all sides.