The Preaching of John the Baptist

3 Now ^(A)in those days ^(B)John the Baptist *^[a]came, ^[b]preaching in the ^(C)wilderness of Judea, saying, ² “^(D)Repent, for ^(E)the kingdom of heaven ^[c]is at hand.” ³ For this is the ^(F)one referred to ^[d]by Isaiah the prophet when he said,

⁴ Now John himself had ^[g](I)a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was ^(J)locusts and wild honey. ⁵ At that time Jerusalem ^(K)was going out to him, and all Judea and all ^(L)the region around the Jordan; ⁶ and they were being ^(M)baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

^17 (A)From that time Jesus began to ^[a]preach and say, “^(B)Repent, for the kingdom of heaven ^[b]is at hand.”

The First Disciples

^18 (C)Now as Jesus was walking by ^(D)the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, ^(E)Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ And He *said to them, “^[c]Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” ²⁰ Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. ²¹ Going on from there He saw two other brothers, ^[d](F)James the son of Zebedee, and his brother ^[e]John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets; and He called them. ²² Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Ministry in Galilee

²³ Jesus was going ^(G)about in all of Galilee, ^(H)teaching in their synagogues and ^(I)proclaiming the ^[f]gospel of the kingdom, and ^(J)healing every disease and every sickness among the people.

^5 (A)These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, “Do not go on a road ^[a]to Gentiles, and do not enter a city of ^(B)Samaritans; ⁶ but rather go to ^(C)the lost sheep of the house of Israel. ⁷ And as you go, ^[b]preach, saying, ‘^(D)The kingdom of heaven ^[c]has come near.’