Mark 1
New Century Version
John Prepares for Jesus
1 This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God,[a] 2 as the prophet Isaiah wrote:
“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way.” Malachi 3:1
3 “This is a voice of one
who calls out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make the road straight for him.’” Isaiah 40:3
4 John was baptizing people in the desert and preaching a baptism of changed hearts and lives for the forgiveness of sins. 5 All the people from Judea and Jerusalem were going out to him. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothes made from camel’s hair, had a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 This is what John preached to the people: “There is one coming after me who is greater than I; I am not good enough even to kneel down and untie his sandals. 8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus Is Baptized
9 At that time Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10 Immediately, as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven open. The Holy Spirit came down on him like a dove, 11 and a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with you.”
12 Then the Spirit sent Jesus into the desert. 13 He was in the desert forty days and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels came and took care of him.
Jesus Chooses Some Followers
14 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the Good News from God. 15 He said, “The right time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Change your hearts and lives and believe the Good News!”
16 When Jesus was walking by Lake Galilee, he saw Simon[b] and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the lake because they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 18 So Simon and Andrew immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 Going a little farther, Jesus saw two more brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20 Jesus immediately called them, and they left their father in the boat with the hired workers and followed Jesus.
Jesus Forces Out an Evil Spirit
21 Jesus and his followers went to Capernaum. On the Sabbath day He went to the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught like a person who had authority, not like their teachers of the law. 23 Just then, a man was there in the synagogue who had an evil spirit in him. He shouted, 24 “Jesus of Nazareth! What do you want with us? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are—God’s Holy One!”
25 Jesus commanded the evil spirit, “Be quiet! Come out of the man!” 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently, gave a loud cry, and then came out of him.
27 The people were so amazed they asked each other, “What is happening here? This man is teaching something new, and with authority. He even gives commands to evil spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And the news about Jesus spread quickly everywhere in the area of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many People
29 As soon as Jesus and his followers left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon[c] and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and the people told Jesus about her. 31 So Jesus went to her bed, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them.
32 That evening, after the sun went down, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick and had demons in them. 33 The whole town gathered at the door. 34 Jesus healed many who had different kinds of sicknesses, and he forced many demons to leave people. But he would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.
35 Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. 37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus answered, “We should go to other towns around here so I can preach there too. That is the reason I came.” 39 So he went everywhere in Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and forcing out demons.
Jesus Heals a Sick Man
40 A man with a skin disease came to Jesus. He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “You can heal me if you will.”
41 Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, “I will. Be healed!” 42 Immediately the disease left the man, and he was healed.
43 Jesus told the man to go away at once, but he warned him strongly, 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well.[d] This will show the people what I have done.” 45 The man left there, but he began to tell everyone that Jesus had healed him, and so he spread the news about Jesus. As a result, Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. He stayed in places where nobody lived, but people came to him from everywhere.
Footnotes
- 1:1 the Son of God Some Greek copies do not have this phrase.
- 1:16 Simon Simon’s other name was Peter.
- 1:29 Simon Simon’s other name was Peter.
- 1:44 Moses . . . well Read about this in Leviticus 14:1–32.
Mark 1
GOD’S WORD Translation
John Prepares the Way(A)
1 This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 The prophet Isaiah wrote,
“I am sending my messenger ahead of you
to prepare the way for you.”
3 “A voice cries out in the desert:
‘Prepare the way for the Lord!
Make his paths straight!’ ”
4 John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance [a] for the forgiveness of sins. 5 All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 John was dressed in clothes made from camel’s hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He announced, “The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
John Baptizes Jesus(B)
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River. 10 As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove. 11 A voice from heaven said, “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you.”
Satan Tempts Jesus(C)
12 At once the Spirit brought him into the desert, 13 where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. He was there with the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.
Calling of the First Disciples(D)
14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and told people the Good News of God. 15 He said, “The time has come, and God’s kingdom is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News.”
16 As he was going along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish.” 18 They immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 As Jesus went on a little farther, he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat preparing their nets ⌞to go fishing⌟. 20 He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee and the hired men in the boat and followed Jesus.
Jesus Forces an Evil Spirit out of a Man(E)
21 Then they went to Capernaum. On the next day of rest—a holy day, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teachings. Unlike their experts in Moses’ Teachings, he taught them with authority.
23 At that time there was a man in the synagogue who was controlled by an evil spirit. He shouted, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
25 Jesus ordered the spirit, “Keep quiet, and come out of him!” 26 The evil spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek.
27 Everyone was stunned. They said to each other, “What is this? This is a new teaching that has authority behind it! He gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him.”
28 The news about him spread quickly throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Jesus Cures Simon’s Mother-in-Law and Many Others(F)
29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew. James and John went with them. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. The first thing they did was to tell Jesus about her. 31 Jesus went to her, took her hand, and helped her get up. The fever went away, and she prepared a meal for them.
32 In the evening, when the sun had set, people brought to him everyone who was sick and those possessed by demons. 33 The whole city had gathered at his door. 34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases and forced many demons out of people. However, he would not allow the demons to speak. After all, they knew who he was.
Spreading the Good News in Galilee(G)
35 In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray. 36 Simon and his friends searched for him. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
38 Jesus said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else, to the small towns that are nearby. I have to spread ⌞the Good News⌟ in them also. This is why I have come.”
39 So he went to spread ⌞the Good News⌟ in the synagogues all over Galilee, and he forced demons out of people.
Jesus Cures a Man with a Skin Disease(H)
40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to him. The man fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “If you’re willing, you can make me clean.” [b]
41 Jesus felt sorry for him, reached out, touched him, and said, “I’m willing. So be clean!”
42 Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean.
43 Jesus sent him away at once and warned him, 44 “Don’t tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifices which Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean.”
45 When the man left, he began to talk freely. He spread his story so widely that Jesus could no longer enter any city openly. Instead, he stayed in places where he could be alone. But people still kept coming to him from everywhere.
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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