馬可福音 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
施洗者約翰預備道路
1 有關上帝的兒子耶穌基督的福音是這樣開始的。
2 以賽亞先知書上說：
「看啊，
我要差遣我的使者在你前面為你預備道路。
3 他在曠野大聲呼喊，
『預備主的道，
修直祂的路。』」
4 果然，約翰出現了，他在曠野勸人悔改，接受洗禮，使罪得到赦免。 5 猶太全境和耶路撒冷的居民都到約翰那裡承認他們的罪，在約旦河裡接受他的洗禮。
6 約翰身穿駱駝毛的衣服，腰束皮帶，吃的是蝗蟲和野蜜。 7 他傳道說：「在我之後，有一位能力比我更大的要來，我連彎腰替祂解鞋帶也不配。 8 我是用水給你們施洗，但祂要用聖靈給你們施洗。」
耶穌受洗
9 那時，耶穌從加利利的拿撒勒來約旦河接受約翰的洗禮。 10 耶穌從水中一上來，就看見天開了，聖靈好像鴿子一樣降在祂身上， 11 從天上有聲音說：「你是我的愛子，我甚喜悅你。」
耶穌受試探
12 聖靈隨即催促祂到曠野。 13 祂在曠野受撒旦的試探四十天。祂與野獸在一起，有天使服侍祂。
呼召四漁夫
14 約翰被捕後，耶穌來到加利利宣講上帝的福音，說： 15 「時候到了，上帝的國臨近了，你們要悔改，相信福音。」
16 耶穌沿著加利利湖邊走，看見兩個漁夫——西門和他的弟弟安得烈正在湖上撒網捕魚。 17 耶穌對他們說：「來跟從我！我要使你們成為得人的漁夫。」 18 他們立刻拋下漁網，跟從了耶穌。
19 耶穌往前走了不遠，又看見西庇太的兩個兒子雅各和約翰正在船上補網， 20 便立刻呼召他們。他們就辭別父親和船上的工人，跟從了耶穌。
傳道趕鬼
21 他們到了迦百農，耶穌在安息日去會堂裡講道。 22 那裡的人都很吃驚，因為祂教導他們時像個有權柄的人，不像律法教師。 23 當時會堂裡有一個被污鬼附身的人喊道： 24 「拿撒勒的耶穌啊，我們和你有什麼關係？你是來毀滅我們嗎？我知道你是誰，你是上帝的聖者！」
25 耶穌責備牠說：「住口，從他身上出來！」
26 污鬼使那人抽搐了一陣，大叫一聲，就出來了。 27 在場的人十分驚訝，彼此議論說：「這是怎麼回事？真是充滿權柄的新教導啊！竟然連污鬼都服從祂的命令。」 28 於是，耶穌的名聲立刻傳遍了整個加利利。
醫病趕鬼
29 耶穌同雅各和約翰離開會堂，來到西門和安得烈家。 30 當時西門的岳母正發燒，躺在床上，他們立刻把這事告訴耶穌。 31 耶穌走到她的床邊，拉著她的手扶她起來，她的燒立刻退了，便起來服侍他們。
32 日落之後，有人把病人和被鬼附身的人都帶來見耶穌。 33 全城的人都聚在門前。 34 耶穌醫好了許多患各種疾病的人，又趕出很多鬼。祂不准鬼說話，因為鬼認識祂。
在加利利傳道
35 第二天清早，天還沒亮，耶穌就起來獨自走到曠野去禱告。 36 西門和同伴們四處尋找耶穌， 37 找到了，便對祂說：「大家都在找你呢！」
38 耶穌卻回答說：「我們到附近的鄉鎮去吧，我也好在那裡傳道，因為我就是為這事來的。」
39 於是，耶穌走遍加利利，在各會堂傳道，趕鬼。
治好痲瘋病人
40 有一次，一個患痲瘋病的人來到耶穌面前，跪下央求：「只要你肯，一定能使我潔淨。」
41 耶穌動了慈心，就伸手摸他，說：「我肯，你潔淨了吧！」 42 那人的痲瘋病立即消失了，他就潔淨了。 43 耶穌讓他回去並鄭重地叮囑： 44 「不要把這事告訴別人，要去讓祭司察看你的身體，並照摩西的規定獻祭，向眾人證明你已經潔淨了。」
45 但那人離開之後，卻到處傳揚這件事，以致耶穌無法再公開進城。祂只能待在城外的曠野，可是人們仍從各處來找祂。
Mark 1
The Voice
When Mark writes in the first chapter about a mysterious man entering the scene, instantly the reader recognizes there’s something very different about Jesus. He comes into the picture not as a rock star but rather as someone humble, kind, and yet, still kingly. Mark describes the people who are drawn toward this man as regular people who have become affected by the character, passion, and light of this strange Galilean.
Maybe that’s why Mark jumps right into the action of Jesus’ story. He offers little by way of introduction. He writes nothing about Jesus’ family tree. Unlike Matthew and Luke, he doesn’t mention His birth. Mark’s retelling begins with Scripture and the preaching of John the Baptist who calls people to repent. Like all the greats of history, Jesus doesn’t just arrive—He is announced—and who better than John to do that? Right before Jesus makes His entrance into Mark’s narrative, John says, “I’ve washed you here with water, but when He gets here, He will wash you in the Spirit of God.”
1 This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus, the Anointed One, the Liberating King, the Son of God.
2 Isaiah the prophet told us what would happen before He came:
Watch, I will send My messenger in front of You
to prepare Your way and make it clear and straight.[a]
3 You’ll hear him, a voice crying in the wilderness,
“Prepare the way of the Eternal One,
a straight way in the wandering desert, a highway for our God.”[b]
4 That messenger was John the Baptist,[c] who appeared in the desert near the Jordan River preaching that people should be ritually cleansed through baptism with water as a sign of both their changed hearts[d] and God’s forgiveness of their sins. 5 People from across the countryside of Judea and from the city of Jerusalem came to him and confessed that they were deeply flawed and needed help, so he cleansed[e] them with the waters of the Jordan. 6 John dressed as some of the Hebrew prophets had, in clothes made of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist. He made his meals in the desert from locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached a message in the wilderness.
John the Baptist: Someone is coming who is a lot more powerful than I am—One whose sandals I’m not worthy to bend down and untie. 8 I’ve washed you here through baptism[f] with water; but when He gets here, He will wash[g] you in the Spirit of God.
The Jordan River is the setting of some of the most memorable miracles in the Old Testament. On their journey through the wilderness to the promised land, the Israelites walked across the Jordan River on dry ground because God parted its waters. Elisha, one of the prophets of God, healed Naaman by telling him to bathe seven times in its waters. Partly because of miracles like these and partly because of a growing wilderness spirituality, many of the Jews in John’s day are out to hear him and be ritually baptized in the Jordan’s cool, cleansing waters. They are looking for God to intervene miraculously in their lives as He has done in the past. What they don’t know is that God is about to intervene, for at that time Jesus leaves Nazareth and heads south.
9 It was in those days that Jesus left Nazareth (a village in the region of Galilee) and came down to the Jordan, and John cleansed Him through baptism there in the same way all the others were ritually cleansed. 10 But as Jesus was coming out of the waters, He looked up and saw the sky split open. The Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove, 11 and a voice echoed in the heavens.
Voice: You are My Son,[h] My beloved One, and I am very pleased with You.
12 After that the Spirit compelled Him to go into the wilderness, 13 and there in the desert He stayed for 40 days. He was tested by Satan himself and surrounded by wild animals; but through these trials, heavenly messengers cared for Him and ministered to Him.
14 After John was arrested by Herod, who ruled the Jewish lands on behalf of Roman interests, Jesus went back into the region of Galilee and began to proclaim the good news of God.
Jesus: 15 It’s time! The kingdom of God is near! Seek forgiveness, change your actions,[i] and believe this good news!
16 As Jesus walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He met the first of His disciples, two brothers, Simon and Andrew, both fishermen who were casting their fishing net into the shallow waters.
Jesus: 17 Come and follow Me, and I’ll send you to catch people instead of fish.
18 Simon and Andrew left their nets and followed Jesus at once.
19 When He had walked a little farther, He saw the sons of Zebedee, James and John, in their boat repairing their nets. 20 Right away He called to them, and they dropped what they were doing and left their father Zebedee and the hired men aboard the boat to follow Him as His disciples.
21 They came at last to the village of Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee; and on the Sabbath Day, Jesus went straight into a synagogue, sat down, and began to teach. 22 The people looked at each other, amazed, because this strange teacher acted as One authorized by God, and what He taught affected them in ways their own scribes’ teachings could not. 23 Just then a man in the gathering who was overcome by an unclean spirit shouted.
Unclean Spirit: 24 What are You doing here, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I can see who You are! You’re the Holy One of God.
Jesus (rebuking him): 25 Be quiet, and come out of him now!
26 The man’s body began to shake and shudder; and then, howling, the spirit flew out of the man. 27 The people couldn’t stop talking about what they had seen.
People: Who is this Jesus? This is a new teaching—and it has such authority! Even the unclean spirits obey His commands!
28 It wasn’t long before news of Jesus spread over the countryside of Galilee.
29 Right after they left the synagogue, Jesus went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 They told Him about Simon’s mother-in-law who was there in bed, sick and feverish. 31 Jesus went to her side, took her hand, and lifted her up. As soon as He touched her, the fever left her and she felt well again—strong enough to bustle around the house taking care of her visitors.
32 Just before night fell, others had gathered all the sick, diseased, and demon-infested people they could find. 33 It seemed as if the whole town had gathered at Simon and Andrew’s door. 34 Jesus was kept busy healing people of every sort of ailment and casting out unclean spirits. He was very careful not to let the demons speak because they knew Him and could reveal to the people who He really was.
35 Early in the morning, Jesus got up, left the house while it was still dark outside, and went to a deserted place to pray. 36 Simon and the others traveling with Jesus looked for Him. 37 They finally tracked Him down.
Whenever possible, Jesus seeks out solitude so He can pray and meditate. Jesus reveals His humanity. In these silent and reflective moments, He seems to refuel mentally, physically, and spiritually because Jesus hears His Father speak during His time alone. Throughout Jesus’ ministry on earth, hearing from His Father seems to help Him focus on the mission at hand: redemption.
People: Everybody wants to know where You are!
Jesus: 38 It’s time we went somewhere else—the next village, maybe—so I can tell more people the good news about the kingdom of God. After all, that’s the reason I’m here.
39 So He traveled to the next village and the one after that, throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and casting out unclean spirits.
Jesus is confronted with a man who has leprosy—a skin disease that makes him ritually unclean according to Jewish law. This creates a problem with the authorities.
40 A leper walked right up to Jesus, dropped to his knees, and begged Him for help.
Leper: If You want to, You can make me clean.
41 Jesus was powerfully moved. He reached out and actually touched the leper.
Jesus: I do want to. Be clean.
42 And at that very moment, the disease left him; the leper was cleansed and made whole once again. 43 Jesus sent him away, but first He warned him strongly.
Jesus: 44 Don’t tell anybody how this happened. Just go and show yourself to the priest so that he can certify you’re clean. Perform the ceremony prescribed by Moses as proof of your cleansing, and then you may return home.
45 The man talked everywhere about how Jesus had healed him, until Jesus could no longer come into a town openly without the risk of being mobbed. So He remained on the outskirts. Even so, people still sought Him out from far and wide.
Footnotes
- 1:2 Malachi 3:1
- 1:3 Isaiah 40:3
- 1:4 Literally, John who immersed, to show repentance
- 1:4 Literally, repentance
- 1:5 Literally, immersed, to show repentance
- 1:8 Literally, immersed, to show repentance
- 1:8 Literally, immerse, in a rite of initiation and purification
- 1:11 Psalm 2:7
- 1:15 Literally, repent
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.