1A beginning ⁰of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God! ¹

2As it is written in the prophets ²—“Take note, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” ³

3“A voice calling out: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make His paths straight!’ ” ⁴—

4John started baptizing in the wilderness ⁵and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. ⁶

5Well, the whole Judean countryside and the Jerusalemites started going out to him, and were all being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist; and he was eating locusts and wild honey. ⁷

7And he was proclaiming: “After me my Superior is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

8I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with Holy Spirit.” ⁸

9Well it happened in those days that Jesus came from Natsareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10And immediately upon coming up from ⁹the water He saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him.

11And a Voice came from the heavens: “You are my Son, the beloved, in whom I am well pleased!” ¹⁰

12Immediately the Spirit impelled Him into the wilderness.

13And He was there in the wilderness forty days being tested ¹¹by Satan, and was with the wild animals; ¹²and the angels were ministering to Him. ¹³

14Now after John was put in prison, ¹⁴Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom ¹⁵of God,

15and saying: “The time has been fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has approached. Repent and believe in the Gospel.” ¹⁶

Peter, Andrew, James, John

16Then, as He was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother, of Simon, ¹⁷casting a circular net onto the water, ¹⁸for they were fishermen.

17So Jesus said to them: “Come, follow me and I will turn you into fishers of men.” ¹⁹

18At once they left their nets ²⁰and followed Him.

19And going on from there a little ways He saw James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John; they were in their boat mending their nets.

20Right away He called them, and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men they followed Him.

A demonized man

21Then they went into Capernaum. ²¹The very next Sabbath He entered the synagogue and began to teach.

22And they kept on being amazed at His teaching, because He was teaching them as one having authority, and not like the scribes. ²²

23Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24saying: “Hey, what do you want with us, Jesus Natsarene?! ²³Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

25So Jesus rebuked him saying: “Shut up and get out of him!” ²⁴

26The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁵

27And all were astounded, so that they questioned among themselves, saying: “What is this? What can this new doctrine be? ²⁶Because with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!”

28So His fame spread directly into the whole surrounding area of Galilee.

Peter's mother-in-law

29Immediately upon exiting the synagogue they went into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30Simon's mother-in-law was lying down with a fever, ²⁷so without delay they told Him about her.

31So He went and grasping her hand lifted her up; immediately the fever left her and she began to serve them. ²⁸

Many healings

32That evening, when the sun had set, they started bringing to Him all who were sick and the demonized.

33So much so that the whole town was gathered at the door,

34and He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew He was Messiah. ²⁹

Alone to pray

35Now very early, still night, He got up, slipped out, and went off to a solitary place, where He was praying.

36Simon and those with him hunted for Him,

37and upon finding Him they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38But He said to them: “Let us go to the neighboring towns, so I can preach there also; that is why I have come.” ³⁰

39He was constantly preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and also casting out demons. ³¹

A leper—the proof

40A leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling before Him and saying to Him, “If you want to, you are able to cleanse me.”

41So being moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, ³²and said to him: “I want to; be cleansed!”

42And when He said this, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

43And He sent him away at once, sternly warning him,

44by saying: “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” ³³

45However he went out and began to proclaim it freely, spreading the news, ³⁴so that He was no longer able to enter a town openly, but remained outside in deserted places; yet they kept coming to Him from all over. ³⁵