The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a
baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the
country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were
being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt
around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached,
saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of
whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have
baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was
baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the
water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the
Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven,
“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he
was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he
was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming
the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the
kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the
brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were
fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you
become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and
followed him. And going on a little farther, he saw James the son
of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the
nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father
Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he
entered the synagogue and was teaching. And they were astonished at
his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not
as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man
with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, “What have you to do with
us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you
are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be
silent, and come out of him!” And the unclean spirit, convulsing
him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they
were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying,
“What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the
unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread
everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.
And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of
Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law
lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And
he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever
left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or
oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at
the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases,
and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to
speak, because they knew him.
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he
departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. And
Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found
him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” And he said to
them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there
also, for that is why I came out.” And he went throughout all
Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him,
“If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched
out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”
And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And
Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to
him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to
the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a
proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it,
and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter
a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to
him from every quarter.
