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¹The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ.^a

The messenger in the wilderness

²It happened just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah: “See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will make your road ready.^{b 3}A voice is calling out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, straighten the roads he will travel.’” ⁴Then John the Baptizer came on the scene in the wilderness, calling people to a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of their sins. ⁵The whole land of Judea and everyone from Jerusalem kept going out to him. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River. ⁶John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. He lived on locusts and wild honey. ⁷This was his message: “Someone stronger than I am is coming after me. I am not fit even to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals. ⁸The baptism I gave you was with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus is baptized

⁹It was during those days that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan. ¹⁰The moment he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. ¹¹Then a voice spoke from heaven: “You are my dearly loved Son. I take delight in you.”

Forty days in the wilderness

¹²Straight away the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³He stayed in the wilderness for forty days while Satan tempted him. He was among the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.

The kingdom of God has come near

¹⁴After John had been handed over, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming God’s gospel. ¹⁵“The appointed time has arrived in full,” he said, “and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Four fishermen follow Jesus

¹⁶As Jesus went along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Simon’s brother Andrew throwing a net into the water. They fished for a living. ¹⁷Jesus said to them, “Come and follow me. I will make you into fishers of people.” ¹⁸They dropped their nets on the spot and followed him. ¹⁹He went on a little way and saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat putting their nets in order. ²⁰He called them at once. Leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, they went off after him.

A new teaching, with authority

²¹They made their way to Capernaum. On the Sabbath he went straight into the synagogue and taught there. ²²His teaching astounded them. Unlike the scribes, he taught them as someone who has authority. ²³Right then, in their synagogue, there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he screamed, ²⁴“What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are: God’s Holy One!” ²⁵Jesus ordered it sternly, “Silence! Come out of the man!” ²⁶The unclean spirit threw the man into a fit, gave a loud shriek, and left him. ²⁷Amazement seized them all, and they talked it over among themselves: “What is this? A new kind of teaching, backed by authority! At his command even the unclean spirits do as they are told.”^{c 28}The news about him went out at once in every direction, through all the country around Galilee.

Simon’s mother-in-law

²⁹They left the synagogue and went straight to the house where Simon and Andrew lived, and James and John came with them. ³⁰Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and they lost no time in telling him about her. ³¹He came over, took hold of her hand, and lifted her up. Her fever was gone, and she started to look after them.

The whole town at the door

³²When evening came and the sun had set, people began bringing to him everyone who was ill or controlled by demons. ³³The entire town had crowded together outside the door. ³⁴He cured many people who had diseases of every kind, and he threw out many demons. He did not permit the demons to say anything, since they knew him.

On to the nearby towns

³⁵Long before daylight, he got up and went out. He went off to a lonely place and spent time there in prayer. ³⁶Simon and the others with him tracked him down. ³⁷Finding him, they said, “Everybody is out looking for you!” ³⁸He replied, “Let us move on to the market towns nearby, so that I can proclaim the message there as well. This is what I came out to do.” ³⁹He went into their synagogues all over Galilee, where he proclaimed the message and threw out demons.

A man with a skin disease is made clean

⁴⁰A man with a serious skin disease came to him. Falling on his knees, he pleaded with him, “If you are willing, you have the power to make me clean.” ⁴¹Stirred with anger, he stretched out his hand and touched him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean!”^{d 42}In that moment the disease was gone from him, and he was clean. ⁴³Jesus gave him a stern warning and sent him away at once. ⁴⁴“Be sure you tell no one about this,” he said. “Instead, go and let the priest examine you. Then offer what Moses required for your cleansing. That will be evidence to them.” ⁴⁵But the man went off and began telling everyone, spreading the news of what had happened, so much that Jesus could not go into any town openly anymore. He kept to deserted places out in the country, and still people came to him from every direction.