1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

2After fasting forty days and nights, he was hungry.

3The tempter came and said to him, “If you really are the Son of God, order these stones to turn into bread.”

4Jesus answered, “As Scripture says, ‘Human beings do not live by only eating bread, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” ¹⁸

5Then the devil took him to the holy city ¹⁹and placed him on the top of the Temple.

6“If you really are the son of God, then throw yourself off,” he told Jesus. “As Scripture says, ‘He will order his angels to save you from harm. They will catch you so that you won't fall by tripping over a stone.’” ²⁰

7Jesus answered, “As Scripture also says, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” ²¹

8Then the devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory.

9He said to Jesus, “I will give you all these if you fall down on your knees and worship me.”

10“Go away, Satan!” said Jesus. “As Scripture says, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him, and him alone.’” ²²

11Then the devil left him, and angels came to care for him.

12When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he returned to Galilee.

13Leaving Nazareth, he came to stay in Capernaum, on the shores of the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphthali.

14This fulfilled what Isaiah the prophet said,

15“In the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphthali, on the road to the sea, across the Jordan River, in Galilee where the foreigners live:

16The people living in darkness saw a great light; the light of dawn has shined on those living in the land of the shadow of death.” ²³

17From that time on Jesus began declaring his message, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has arrived!”

18As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee Jesus saw two brothers. Simon, also called Peter, and his brother Andrew, were casting a net in the sea. They made their living by catching fish.

19“Come and follow me, and I will teach you how to catch people,” he told them.

20They left their nets immediately and followed him.

21Continuing on he saw two other brothers, James and John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them to follow him. ²⁴

22They left the boat and their father immediately, and followed him.

23Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, telling the good news of the kingdom, and healing all the diseases and illnesses the people had.

24News about him spread throughout the province of Syria. ²⁵They brought everyone who was sick to him: people troubled by seizures, the demon-possessed, those who were mentally ill, people who were paralyzed, and he healed all of them.

25Large crowds followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and the region beyond Jordan.