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I. The Preparation for the Public Ministry of Jesus[a]

Chapter 1

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God].[b]

The Preaching of John the Baptist. (A)As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:[c](B)

“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;
    he will prepare your way.
(C)A voice of one crying out in the desert:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make straight his paths.’”

John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist.[d] He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. [e](D)I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus. (E)It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10 On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.[f] 11 (F)And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus.[g] 12 At once the Spirit drove him out into the desert,(G) 13 and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

II. The Mystery of Jesus

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry. 14 (H)After John had been arrested,[h] Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 15 (I)“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The Call of the First Disciples.[i] 16 (J)As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 18 Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. 19 He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. 20 Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

The Cure of a Demoniac. 21 [j](K)Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 (L)The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 [k]In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 [l]he cried out, “What have you to do with us,[m] Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

The Cure of Simon’s Mother-in-Law. 29 (M)On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. 31 He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

Other Healings. 32 When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. 33 The whole town was gathered at the door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Jesus Leaves Capernaum. 35 (N)Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and those who were with him pursued him 37 and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” 39 So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

The Cleansing of a Leper. 40 (O)A leper[n] came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”(P) 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.(Q) 43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44 Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”(R) 45 The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1–13 The prologue of the Gospel according to Mark begins with the title (Mk 1:1) followed by three events preparatory to Jesus’ preaching: (1) the appearance in the Judean wilderness of John, baptizer, preacher of repentance, and precursor of Jesus (Mk 1:2–8); (2) the baptism of Jesus, at which a voice from heaven acknowledges Jesus to be God’s Son, and the holy Spirit descends on him (Mk 1:9–11); (3) the temptation of Jesus by Satan (Mk 1:12–13).
  2. 1:1 The gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God]: the “good news” of salvation in and through Jesus, crucified and risen, acknowledged by the Christian community as Messiah (Mk 8:29; 14:61–62) and Son of God (Mk 1:11; 9:7; 15:39), although some important manuscripts here omit the Son of God.
  3. 1:2–3 Although Mark attributes the prophecy to Isaiah, the text is a combination of Mal 3:1; Is 40:3; Ex 23:20; cf. Mt 11:10; Lk 7:27. John’s ministry is seen as God’s prelude to the saving mission of his Son. The way of the Lord: this prophecy of Deutero-Isaiah concerning the end of the Babylonian exile is here applied to the coming of Jesus; John the Baptist is to prepare the way for him.
  4. 1:6 Clothed in camel’s hair…waist: the Baptist’s garb recalls that of Elijah in 2 Kgs 1:8. Jesus speaks of the Baptist as Elijah who has already come (Mk 9:11–13; Mt 17:10–12; cf. Mal 3:23–24; Lk 1:17).
  5. 1:8–9 Through the life-giving baptism with the holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), Jesus will create a new people of God. But first he identifies himself with the people of Israel in submitting to John’s baptism of repentance and in bearing on their behalf the burden of God’s decisive judgment (Mk 1:9; cf. Mk 1:4). As in the desert of Sinai, so here in the wilderness of Judea, Israel’s sonship with God is to be renewed.
  6. 1:10–11 He saw the heavens…and the Spirit…upon him: indicating divine intervention in fulfillment of promise. Here the descent of the Spirit on Jesus is meant, anointing him for his ministry; cf. Is 11:2; 42:1; 61:1; 63:9. A voice…with you I am well pleased: God’s acknowledgment of Jesus as his unique Son, the object of his love. His approval of Jesus is the assurance that Jesus will fulfill his messianic mission of salvation.
  7. 1:12–13 The same Spirit who descended on Jesus in his baptism now drives him into the desert for forty days. The result is radical confrontation and temptation by Satan who attempts to frustrate the work of God. The presence of wild beasts may indicate the horror and danger of the desert regarded as the abode of demons or may reflect the paradise motif of harmony among all creatures; cf. Is 11:6–9. The presence of ministering angels to sustain Jesus recalls the angel who guided the Israelites in the desert in the first Exodus (Ex 14:19; 23:20) and the angel who supplied nourishment to Elijah in the wilderness (1 Kgs 19:5–7). The combined forces of good and evil were present to Jesus in the desert. His sustained obedience brings forth the new Israel of God there where Israel’s rebellion had brought death and alienation.
  8. 1:14–15 After John had been arrested: in the plan of God, Jesus was not to proclaim the good news of salvation prior to the termination of the Baptist’s active mission. Galilee: in the Marcan account, scene of the major part of Jesus’ public ministry before his arrest and condemnation. The gospel of God: not only the good news from God but about God at work in Jesus Christ. This is the time of fulfillment: i.e., of God’s promises. The kingdom of God…Repent: see note on Mt 3:2.
  9. 1:16–20 These verses narrate the call of the first Disciples. See notes on Mt 4:18–22 and Mt 4:20.
  10. 1:21–45 The account of a single day’s ministry of Jesus on a sabbath in and outside the synagogue of Capernaum (Mk 1:21–31) combines teaching and miracles of exorcism and healing. Mention is not made of the content of the teaching but of the effect of astonishment and alarm on the people. Jesus’ teaching with authority, making an absolute claim on the hearer, was in the best tradition of the ancient prophets, not of the scribes. The narrative continues with events that evening (Mk 1:32–34; see notes on Mt 8:14–17) and the next day (Mk 1:35–39). The cleansing in Mk 1:40–45 stands as an isolated story.
  11. 1:23 An unclean spirit: so called because of the spirit’s resistance to the holiness of God. The spirit knows and fears the power of Jesus to destroy his influence; cf. Mk 1:32, 34; 3:11; 6:13.
  12. 1:24–25 The Holy One of God: not a confession but an attempt to ward off Jesus’ power, reflecting the notion that use of the precise name of an opposing spirit would guarantee mastery over him. Jesus silenced the cry of the unclean spirit and drove him out of the man.
  13. 1:24 What have you to do with us?: see note on Jn 2:4.
  14. 1:40 A leper: for the various forms of skin disease, see Lv 13:1–50 and the note on Lv 13:2–4. There are only two instances in the Old Testament in which God is shown to have cured a leper (Nm 12:10–15; 2 Kgs 5:1–14). The law of Moses provided for the ritual purification of a leper. In curing the leper, Jesus assumes that the priests will reinstate the cured man into the religious community. See also note on Lk 5:14.

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.[a]

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,[b]

“Behold, I send my messenger before thy face,
who shall prepare thy way;
the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight—”

John the baptizer appeared[c] in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; 11 and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son;[d] with thee I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16 And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb′edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb′edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.

The Man with an Unclean Spirit

21 And they went into Caper′na-um; and immediately on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

29 And immediately he[e] left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them.

32 That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together about the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.[f]

A Preaching Tour in Galilee

35 And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him followed him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Every one is searching for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also; for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people.”[g] 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus[h] could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:1 Other ancient authorities omit the Son of God
  2. Mark 1:2 Other ancient authorities read in the prophets
  3. Mark 1:4 Other ancient authorities read John was baptizing
  4. Mark 1:11 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved
  5. Mark 1:29 Other ancient authorities read they
  6. 1.34 Throughout his ministry Jesus forbade the demons and those he healed of their infirmities to reveal his identity as Messiah, because the people, with their ideas of a national leader to come, were only too prone to mistake his true mission.
  7. Mark 1:44 Greek to them
  8. Mark 1:45 Greek he

The Preaching of John the Baptist(A)

This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.[a] (B)It began as the prophet Isaiah had written:

“God said, ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you
    to open the way for you.’
(C)Someone is shouting in the desert,
    ‘Get the road ready for the Lord;
    make a straight path for him to travel!’”

So John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching.[b] “Turn away from your sins and be baptized,” he told the people, “and God will forgive your sins.” Many people from the province of Judea and the city of Jerusalem went out to hear John. They confessed their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

(D)John wore clothes made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. He announced to the people, “The man who will come after me is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to bend down and untie his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus(E)

Not long afterward Jesus came from Nazareth in the province of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, he saw heaven opening and the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 11 (F)And a voice came from heaven, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you.”

12 At once the Spirit made him go into the desert, 13 where he stayed forty days, being tempted by Satan. Wild animals were there also, but angels came and helped him.

Jesus Calls Four Fishermen(G)

14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and preached the Good News from God. 15 (H)“The right time has come,” he said, “and the Kingdom of God is near! Turn away from your sins and believe the Good News!”

16 As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two fishermen, Simon and his brother Andrew, catching fish with a net. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come with me, and I will teach you to catch people.” 18 At once they left their nets and went with him.

19 He went a little farther on and saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat getting their nets ready. 20 As soon as Jesus saw them, he called them; they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with Jesus.

A Man with an Evil Spirit(I)

21 Jesus and his disciples came to the town of Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach. 22 (J)The people who heard him were amazed at the way he taught, for he wasn't like the teachers of the Law; instead, he taught with authority.

23 Just then a man with an evil spirit came into the synagogue and screamed, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Are you here to destroy us? I know who you are—you are God's holy messenger!”

25 Jesus ordered the spirit, “Be quiet, and come out of the man!”

26 The evil spirit shook the man hard, gave a loud scream, and came out of him. 27 The people were all so amazed that they started saying to one another, “What is this? Is it some kind of new teaching? This man has authority to give orders to the evil spirits, and they obey him!”

28 And so the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the province of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People(K)

29 Jesus and his disciples, including James and John, left the synagogue and went straight to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and as soon as Jesus arrived, he was told about her. 31 He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to wait on them.

32 After the sun had set and evening had come, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had demons. 33 All the people of the town gathered in front of the house. 34 Jesus healed many who were sick with all kinds of diseases and drove out many demons. He would not let the demons say anything, because they knew who he was.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee(L)

35 Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed. 36 But Simon and his companions went out searching for him, 37 and when they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38 But Jesus answered, “We must go on to the other villages around here. I have to preach in them also, because that is why I came.”

39 (M)So he traveled all over Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus Heals a Man(N)

40 A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus, knelt down, and begged him for help. “If you want to,” he said, “you can make me clean.”[c]

41 Jesus was filled with pity,[d] and reached out and touched him. “I do want to,” he answered. “Be clean!” 42 At once the disease left the man, and he was clean. 43 Then Jesus spoke sternly to him and sent him away at once, 44 (O)after saying to him, “Listen, don't tell anyone about this. But go straight to the priest and let him examine you; then in order to prove to everyone that you are cured, offer the sacrifice that Moses ordered.”

45 But the man went away and began to spread the news everywhere. Indeed, he talked so much that Jesus could not go into a town publicly. Instead, he stayed out in lonely places, and people came to him from everywhere.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:1 Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.
  2. Mark 1:4 John appeared in the desert, baptizing and preaching; some manuscripts have John the Baptist appeared in the desert, preaching.
  3. Mark 1:40 This disease was considered to make a person ritually unclean.
  4. Mark 1:41 pity; some manuscripts have anger.

Preaching of John the Baptist

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, (A)the Son of God,

(B)just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

(C)Behold, I am sending My messenger [a]before You,
Who will prepare Your way;
(D)The voice of one calling [b]out in the wilderness,
Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, [c](E)preaching a baptism of repentance for the (F)forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore (G)a leather belt around his waist, and [d]his diet was locusts and wild honey. And he was [e]preaching, saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to bend down and untie the straps of His sandals. I baptized you [f]with water; but He will baptize you [g]with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

(H)In those days Jesus (I)came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens [h]opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came from the heavens: “(J)You are My beloved Son; in You I [i]am well pleased.”

12 (K)And immediately the Spirit *brought Him out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by (L)Satan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

14 (M)Now after John was [j]taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, [k](N)preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, (O)The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God [l]is at hand; (P)repent and [m]believe in the gospel.”

16 (Q)As He was going along the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will have you become fishers of people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 And going on a little farther, He saw [n]James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, [o]who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and went away [p]to follow Him.

21 (R)They *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath Jesus (S)entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And (T)they were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, “(U)What [q]business do you have with us, Jesus [r]of (V)Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are: (W)the Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 After throwing him into convulsions and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. 27 And they were all (X)amazed, so they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Crowds Healed

29 (Y)And immediately after they left (Z)the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with [s]James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and they immediately *spoke to [t]Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she served them.

32 Now (AA)when evening came, (AB)after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were (AC)demon-possessed. 33 And the whole (AD)city had gathered at the door. 34 And He (AE)healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew [u]who He was.

35 (AF)And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and (AG)prayed there for a time. 36 Simon and his companions eagerly searched for Him; 37 and they found Him and *said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He *said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may also [v]preach there; for this is why I came.” 39 (AH)And He went into their synagogues [w]preaching throughout Galilee, and casting out the demons.

40 (AI)And a man with [x]leprosy *came to [y]Jesus, imploring Him and (AJ)kneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He *said to him, (AK)See that you say nothing to anyone; but (AL)go, show yourself to the priest and (AM)offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to (AN)proclaim it [z]freely and to (AO)spread the news around, to such an extent that [aa]Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but [ab]stayed out in unpopulated areas; and (AP)they were coming to Him from everywhere.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:2 Lit before your face
  2. Mark 1:3 Or out, Prepare in the wilderness the way
  3. Mark 1:4 Or proclaiming
  4. Mark 1:6 Lit was eating
  5. Mark 1:7 Or proclaiming
  6. Mark 1:8 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
  7. Mark 1:8 The Gr here can be translated in, with, or by
  8. Mark 1:10 Or being parted
  9. Mark 1:11 Or delight
  10. Mark 1:14 Lit handed over
  11. Mark 1:14 Or proclaiming
  12. Mark 1:15 Lit has come near
  13. Mark 1:15 Or put your trust in
  14. Mark 1:19 Or Jacob
  15. Mark 1:19 Lit also them in
  16. Mark 1:20 Lit after Him
  17. Mark 1:24 Lit What to us and to You (an ancient idiom)
  18. Mark 1:24 Or the Nazarene
  19. Mark 1:29 Or Jacob
  20. Mark 1:30 Lit Him
  21. Mark 1:34 Lit Him
  22. Mark 1:38 Or proclaim
  23. Mark 1:39 Or proclaiming
  24. Mark 1:40 I.e., leprosy or a serious, unspecified disease, and so throughout the ch; see Lev 13
  25. Mark 1:40 Lit Him
  26. Mark 1:45 Lit much
  27. Mark 1:45 Lit He
  28. Mark 1:45 Lit was

John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,[a] the Son of God,[b](B) as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”[c](C)
“a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”[d](D)

And so John the Baptist(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance(F) for the forgiveness of sins.(G) The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,(H) and he ate locusts(I) and wild honey. And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.(J) I baptize you with[e] water, but he will baptize you with[f] the Holy Spirit.”(K)

The Baptism and Testing of Jesus(L)(M)

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth(N) in Galilee and was baptized by John(O) in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.(P) 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,(Q) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”(R)

12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days,(S) being tempted[g] by Satan.(T) He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Jesus Announces the Good News(U)

14 After John(V) was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee,(W) proclaiming the good news of God.(X) 15 “The time has come,”(Y) he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe(Z) the good news!”(AA)

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.(AB)

19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit(AC)

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.(AD) 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.(AE) 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us,(AF) Jesus of Nazareth?(AG) Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”(AH)

25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”(AI) 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.(AJ)

27 The people were all so amazed(AK) that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region(AL) of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many(AM)(AN)

29 As soon as they left the synagogue,(AO) they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.(AP) The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.(AQ) 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases.(AR) He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.(AS)

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place(AT)

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.(AU) 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.”(AV) 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues(AW) and driving out demons.(AX)

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy(AY)

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

41 Jesus was indignant.[i] 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.(BA) But go, show yourself to the priest(BB) and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing,(BC) 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.(BD) Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:1 Or Jesus Christ. Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean Anointed One.
  2. Mark 1:1 Some manuscripts do not have the Son of God.
  3. Mark 1:2 Mal. 3:1
  4. Mark 1:3 Isaiah 40:3
  5. Mark 1:8 Or in
  6. Mark 1:8 Or in
  7. Mark 1:13 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  8. Mark 1:40 The Greek word traditionally translated leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
  9. Mark 1:41 Many manuscripts Jesus was filled with compassion