The Preaching of John the Baptist

(Matthew 3.1-12; Mark 1.1-8; John 1.19-28)

For 15 years Emperor Tiberius had ruled that part of the world. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother, Philip, was the ruler in the countries of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene.

The Baptism of Jesus

(Matthew 3.13-17; Mark 1.9-11)

While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up,

Jesus and the Devil

(Matthew 4.1-11; Mark 1.12,13)

When Jesus returned from the Jordan River, the power of the Holy Spirit was with him, and the Spirit led him into the desert.

Jesus Begins His Work

(Matthew 4.12-17; Mark 1.14,15)

Jesus returned to Galilee with the power of the Spirit. News about him spread everywhere.

The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus

(Matthew 13.53-58; Mark 6.1-6)

Jesus went back to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and as usual he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath. When he stood up to read from the Scriptures,

A Man with an Evil Spirit

(Mark 1.21-28)

Jesus went to the town of Capernaum in Galilee and taught the people on the Sabbath.

Jesus Heals Many People

(Matthew 8.14-17; Mark 1.29-34)

Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon's home. When Jesus got there, he was told that Simon's mother-in-law was sick with a high fever.

Jesus Chooses His First Disciples

(Matthew 4.18-22; Mark 1.16-20)

Jesus was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret, teaching the people as they crowded around him to hear God's message.

Jesus Heals a Man

(Matthew 8.1-4; Mark 1.40-45)

Jesus came to a town where there was a man who had leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he knelt down to the ground in front of Jesus and begged, “Lord, you have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.”

Jesus Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

(Matthew 9.1-8; Mark 2.1-12)

One day some Pharisees and experts in the Law of Moses sat listening to Jesus teach. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. God had given Jesus the power to heal the sick,

Jesus Chooses Levi

(Matthew 9.9-13; Mark 2.13-17)

Later, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the place for paying taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”

People Ask about Going without Eating

(Matthew 9.14-17; Mark 2.18-22)

Some people said to Jesus, “John's followers often pray and go without eating, and so do the followers of the Pharisees. But your disciples never go without eating or drinking.”

A Question about the Sabbath

(Matthew 12.1-8; Mark 2.23-28)

One Sabbath when Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields, the disciples picked some wheat. They rubbed the husks off with their hands and started eating the grain.

A Man with a Paralyzed Hand

(Matthew 12.9-14; Mark 3.1-6)

On another Sabbath Jesus was teaching in a synagogue, and a man with a paralyzed right hand was there.

Jesus Chooses His Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.1-4; Mark 3.13-19)

About that time Jesus went off to a mountain to pray, and he spent the whole night there.

You are like children sitting in the market and shouting to each other, “We played the flute, but you would not dance! We sang a funeral song, but you would not cry!”

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.1-9; Mark 4.1-9)

When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Mark 4.10-12)

Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant.

Jesus Explains the Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.18-23; Mark 4.13-20)

This is what the story means: The seed is God's message,

Light

(Mark 4.21-25)

No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl or under a bed. A lamp is always put on a lampstand, so people who come into a house will see the light.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

(Matthew 12.46-50; Mark 3.31-35)

Jesus' mother and brothers went to see him, but because of the crowd they could not get near him.

A Storm

(Matthew 8.23-27; Mark 4.35-41)

One day, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat, and he said, “Let's cross the lake.” They started out,

A Man with Demons in Him

(Matthew 8.28-34; Mark 5.1-20)

Jesus and his disciples sailed across Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa.

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Matthew 9.18-26; Mark 5.21-43)

Everyone had been waiting for Jesus, and when he came back, a crowd was there to welcome him.

Instructions for the Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.5-15; Mark 6.7-13)

Jesus called together his twelve apostles and gave them complete power over all demons and diseases.