John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah,^[a] the Son of God,^{[b](B) 2} as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

⁴ And so John the Baptist^(E) appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance^(F) for the forgiveness of sins.^{(G) 5} 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. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist,^(H) and he ate locusts^(I) and wild honey. ⁷ 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) 8} 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)

⁹ 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)

Jesus Has Risen^(A)

16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices^(B) so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”^(C)

⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe^(D) sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene,^(E) who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him,^(F) just as he told you.’”^(G)

⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.^[a]

[The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have verses 9–20.]

⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,^(H) out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.^(I)

¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country.^{(J) 13} These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.^(K)

¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.^{(L) 16} Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.^{(M) 17} And these signs^(N) will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;^(O) they will speak in new tongues;^{(P) 18} they will pick up snakes^(Q) with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on^(R) sick people, and they will get well.”

¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven^(S) and he sat at the right hand of God.^{(T) 20} Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs^(U) that accompanied it.