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Mark 1
EasyEnglish Bible

The start of the good news

1 This is the start of the good news about Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God. 2 The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God in his book:[a]

‘Listen! I will send someone to prepare a way for you.
    He will tell people my message.
3 His voice will shout in the wilderness:
    “The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him.
    Make the paths straight for him.” ’[b]

4 So John went to a place in the wilderness. He baptized people and he spoke a message from God.[c] He said to people, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Then God will forgive you and I will baptize you.’

5 Many people who lived in Jerusalem and in the country of Judea went to listen to John.[d] The people told God about all the wrong things that they had done. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River. 6 John wore clothes made from the hair of a camel. He also wore a belt made from leather. His usual food was locusts and honey from the wilderness.

7 John said to the people, ‘Another person will come soon. He is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him. 8 I have baptized you with water. But this man will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

John baptizes Jesus

9 Soon after this, Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee. John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10 While Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the skies open. The Holy Spirit came down like a dove and he stayed on Jesus. 11 A voice spoke from heaven: ‘You are my Son and I love you. You make me very happy.’

Satan tries to cause Jesus to do wrong things

12 Immediately, the Holy Spirit sent Jesus out into the wilderness. 13 Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days. During this time, Satan tried to cause him to do wrong things. There were wild animals with Jesus in the wilderness. God's angels took care of him.

Jesus asks some men to be his disciples

14 Later, John was in prison. At that time, Jesus went to Galilee.[e] He told people the good news about God. 15 Jesus said, ‘Now is the time when the kingdom of God has come very near. You have done many wrong things. Turn away from them and change the way that you live. Believe God's good news.’

16 One day, Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee. He saw two brothers called Simon and Andrew.[f] Their job was to catch fish. They were throwing their nets into the lake to catch fish. 17 Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me and be my disciples. Then I will teach you how to catch people, instead of fish.’[g] 18 Simon and Andrew immediately put down their nets and they went with Jesus.[h]

19 Jesus continued to walk along the shore. Soon he saw two more men who were brothers. They were called James and John. They were the sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat and they were mending their nets. 20 Immediately, Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father and his workers in the boat, and they went with Jesus to be his disciples.

Jesus causes a bad spirit to leave a man

21 Then Jesus and those disciples went into a town called Capernaum. On the next Jewish day of rest, Jesus went into the Jews' meeting place.[i] He began to teach the people there.

22 The people were very surprised at the things that Jesus taught them. When he taught them, he showed his authority. That was not like the way that the teachers of God's Law taught people. 23 In the meeting place, there was a man who had a bad spirit. The bad spirit caused the man to shout. 24 He said, ‘Jesus from Nazareth, leave us alone! Do not kill us! I know who you are. You are the Holy One and God has sent you.’

25 Jesus said to the bad spirit, ‘Be quiet! Come out of the man!’ 26 The bad spirit caused the man to shake and to fall down. It shouted loudly and then it came out of the man.

27 All the people were very surprised and they said to each other, ‘This is very strange. This man Jesus is teaching us something new and he speaks with authority. He can tell bad spirits what they must do. Then they do it.’ 28 Immediately, people began to hear the news about Jesus. Everywhere in Galilee, people were talking about him.

Jesus makes many people well

29 Then Jesus left the meeting place. He took James and John with him to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 The mother of Simon's wife was ill in bed. Her body was very hot. Immediately, Simon and Andrew told Jesus about her. 31 So Jesus went to her and he held her hand. Then he helped her to sit up and she was well again. Immediately she prepared food for her visitors.

32-33 That evening, when the sun had gone down, people in the town came to Jesus.[j] They brought to him everyone who was ill. And they brought people with bad spirits in them. All these people were standing together near the door of the house. 34 Jesus caused many sick people to become well. They had many different kinds of illness. He also caused many bad spirits to leave people. The spirits knew who he was. So Jesus did not let them speak.

Jesus prays alone in a quiet place

35 Jesus got up very early the next morning, while it was still dark. He went to a place where he could be alone. He prayed there. 36 Simon and the other disciples went to look for him. 37 When they found him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’

38 Jesus replied, ‘We should go to other towns near here. Then I can teach the people there too. That is the reason why I came here.’ 39 So Jesus travelled everywhere in Galilee. He taught the people in the Jewish meeting places. He caused bad spirits to come out of people.

A man with a disease in his skin

40 One day, a man who had a disease of the skin came to Jesus. He went down on his knees in front of Jesus. The man said. ‘If you want, you can make me well. Please do it.’

41 Jesus felt very sorry for the man. He put out his hand towards the man and he touched him. ‘I do want to help you,’ Jesus said, ‘Be clean again!’ 42 Immediately, the disease left the man.

43 Jesus sent the man away immediately and he spoke to the man with strong words. 44 He said, ‘Listen to me. Do not tell anyone about this. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest. Take him a gift for God. Moses' law tells you what you should give when you are clean again after this kind of disease. This will show everyone that you are now well again.’ 45 But instead, the man went away and he talked to everybody. He told them what had happened to him. Because he did this, it became too difficult for Jesus to go into the towns. Everybody knew him. So Jesus stayed in places in the wilderness. People came from all the places around there to see him.

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 See Exodus 23:20; Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3.
  2. 1:3 Isaiah was telling people about a man called John. John would say to the people that they should prepare themselves for the Messiah. People mended the roads before a king travelled along them. Isaiah was using this like a picture in words, to help people to understand how to prepare for the Messiah.
  3. 1:4 Baptism showed that a person wanted to change. They would tell God that they were sorry for the wrong things that they had done and they wanted to obey God.
  4. 1:5 Judea was in the south of Israel and Jerusalem was the capital city.
  5. 1:14 King Herod had put John in prison even though John had not done anything wrong. John was also called John the Baptist because he baptized people.
  6. 1:16 Simon was also called Peter.
  7. 1:17 Jesus did not mean that Simon and Andrew would really catch people. He would teach Simon and Andrew how to tell other people the good news about himself. They would bring people to Jesus, so that those people could believe in him.
  8. 1:18 Simon and his brother lived in a town called Capernaum. This town is on the shore of Lake Galilee.
  9. 1:21 The day when Jewish people rest is called the Sabbath. It is the day that we call Saturday. Their meeting place was called a synagogue. It is a building where Jewish people meet to pray. They also read the Old Testament of the Bible there.
  10. 1:32-33 The Jews had many rules about the things that they should not do on their day of rest. They must not work or carry things on that day. When the sun went down, it was the end of the day of rest. So the people waited until then to bring the sick people to Jesus.
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Mark 1
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

1 The beginning of the good news[a] of Jesus Christ.[b](A)

2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,[c]

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,[d]
    who will prepare your way,(B)
3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight,’ ”(C)

4 so John the baptizer appeared[e] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.(D) 5 And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.(E) 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.(F) 8 I have baptized you with[f] water, but he will baptize you with[g] the Holy Spirit.”(G)

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.(H) 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him.(I) 11 And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[h] with you I am well pleased.”(J)

The Testing of Jesus

12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news[i] of[j] God(K) 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;[k] repent, and believe in the good news.”[l](L)

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.(M) 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

The Man with an Unclean Spirit

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.(N) 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.(O) 23 Just then 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.”(P) 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!”(Q) 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He[m] commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”(R) 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

29 As soon as they[n] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.(S) 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons.(T) 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured 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.(U)

A Preaching Tour in Galilee

35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.(V) 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also, for that is what I came out to do.”(W) 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.(X)

Jesus Cleanses a Man with a Skin Disease

40 A man with a skin disease came to him begging him, and kneeling[o] he said to him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”(Y) 41 Moved with pity,[p] Jesus[q] stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I am willing. Be made clean!” 42 Immediately the skin disease left him, and he was made clean. 43 After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, 44 saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as a testimony to them.”(Z) 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the word, so that Jesus[r] could no longer go into a town openly but stayed out in the country, and people came to him from every quarter.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. 1.1 Or gospel
  2. 1.1 Other ancient authorities add Son of God
  3. 1.2 Other ancient authorities read in the prophets
  4. 1.2 Gk before your face
  5. 1.4 Other ancient authorities read John was baptizing
  6. 1.8 Or in
  7. 1.8 Or in
  8. 1.11 Or my beloved Son
  9. 1.14 Or gospel
  10. 1.14 Other ancient authorities add of the kingdom of
  11. 1.15 Or is at hand
  12. 1.15 Or gospel
  13. 1.27 Or A new teaching! With authority he
  14. 1.29 Other ancient authorities read he
  15. 1.40 Other ancient authorities lack kneeling
  16. 1.41 Other ancient authorities read anger
  17. 1.41 Gk he
  18. 1.45 Gk he
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Mark 1
New International Version

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:

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

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)

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
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