Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place^(A)

³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.^{(B) 36} Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”^{(C) 39} So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues^(D) and driving out demons.^(E)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(F)

⁴⁰ A man with leprosy^[a] came to him and begged him on his knees,^(G) “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

⁴¹ Jesus was indignant.^[b] He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone.^(H) But go, show yourself to the priest^(I) and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,^(J) as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵ Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places.^(K) Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.^(L)