Mark 1

1The beginning of the good news of Jesus the Messiah.

2Just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way.’

3A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight,’

4John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5And all the Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and he was eating locusts and wild honey.

7And he was proclaiming, saying, “The one stronger than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.”

8I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

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

10And immediately, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him.

11And a voice came from the heavens: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”

12And immediately the Spirit drives him out into the wilderness.

13And 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.

14And after John was handed over, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.

15and saying, “The time has been fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the good news.”

16And as he was passing along beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

17And Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

18And immediately they left the nets and followed him.

19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, and they were in the boat mending the nets,

20And immediately he called them, and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers, they went after him.

21And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue.

22And they were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

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

24saying, “What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

26And the unclean spirit, after convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

27And they were all amazed, so that they discussed among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

28And the news about him went out at once everywhere into the whole surrounding region of Galilee.

29And immediately, after leaving the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

31And coming near, he raised her up, taking her by the hand; and the fever left her, and she served them.

32When evening came, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.

33And the whole city was gathered at the door.

34And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons, and he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35And very early, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and went away to a desolate place, and there he was praying.

36And Simon and those with him pursued him,

37And they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38And he said to them, “Let us go elsewhere, to the neighboring towns, so that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

39And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

40And a man with leprosy comes to him, pleading with him and kneeling, and saying to him, “If you are willing, you are able to make me clean.”

41And being angry, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

43And after sternly warning him, he immediately sent him away,

44And he says to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; rather, go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

45But after he went out, he began to proclaim widely and to spread the message, so that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, but stayed outside in deserted places; and people were coming to him from everywhere.