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The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophets,

“Behold,[a] I send my messenger before your face,
    who will prepare your way before you:Malachi 3:1
the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
    ‘Make ready the way of the Lord!
    Make his paths straight!’”Isaiah 40:3

John came baptizing[b] in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 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 loosen. I baptized you in[c] water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

16 Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

18 Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

19 Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, 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 servants, and went after him.

21 They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24 saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”

25 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”

26 The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28 The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

29 Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately,[d] and she served them.

32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons. 33 All the city was gathered together at the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36 Simon and those who were with him searched for him. 37 They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38 He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39 He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

40 A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43 He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

45 But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
  2. 1:4 or, immersing
  3. 1:8 The Greek word (en) translated here as “in” could also be translated as “with” in some contexts.
  4. 1:31 NU omits “immediately”.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus(A)

This is[a] the beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah,[b] the Son of God.[c] As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See! I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way.[d]
He is a voice calling out in the wilderness:
    ‘Prepare the way for the Lord![e]
        Make his paths straight!’”[f]

John was baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism about repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People from[g] the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, being baptized by him while they confessed their sins. Now John was dressed in camel’s hair with[h] a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers[i] and wild honey. He kept proclaiming, “The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps. I baptized you with[j] water, but it is he who will baptize you with[k] the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus is Baptized(B)

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you!”

Jesus is Tempted by Satan(C)

12 At once the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. 13 He was in the wilderness for 40 days being tempted by Satan. He was among wild animals, and angels were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee(D)

14 Now after John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and proclaimed the gospel about the kingdom[l] of God. 15 He said, “The time is now! The kingdom of God is near! Repent, and keep believing the gospel!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples(E)

16 While Jesus[m] was walking beside 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 told them, “Follow me, and I’ll make you fishers of people!” 18 So immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat repairing their nets. 20 He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit(F)

21 Then they went to Capernaum. As soon as it was the Sabbaths, Jesus[n] went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people[o] were utterly amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one with authority, and not like their scribes. 23 All of a sudden,[p] there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean spirit! He screamed, 24 “What do you want 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. “Be quiet,” he ordered, “and come out of him!” 26 At this, the unclean spirit shook the man,[q] cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him.

27 All the people were so stunned that they kept saying to each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He tells even the unclean spirits what to do, and they obey him!” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People(G)

29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever, so they promptly told Jesus[r] about her. 31 He went up to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them. 32 When evening came, after the sun had set, people[s] started bringing to him everyone who was sick or possessed by demons. 33 In fact, the whole city gathered at the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. However, he wouldn’t allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Goes on a Preaching Tour(H)

35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus[t] got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there. 36 Simon and his companions searched frantically for him. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you.”

38 “Let’s go to the neighboring town,” he replied, “so I can preach there, too, because that’s why I came.” 39 So he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper(I)

40 Then a leper[u] came to Jesus[v] and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus[w] reached out his hand, touched him, and told him, “I do want to. Be made clean!” 42 Instantly the leprosy left him, and he was clean.

43 Then Jesus[x] sternly warned him and encouraged him to go at once. 44 He told the man, “Be sure that you don’t tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as proof to the authorities.”[y] 45 But when the man[z] left, he began to proclaim it freely. He spread the news so widely that Jesus[aa] could no longer enter a town openly, but had to stay out in deserted places. Still, people[ab] kept coming to him from everywhere.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 1:1 The Gk. lacks This is
  2. Mark 1:1 Or Christ
  3. Mark 1:1 Other mss. lack the Son of God
  4. Mark 1:2 Cf. Mal 3:1
  5. Mark 1:3 MT source citation reads Lord
  6. Mark 1:3 Cf. Isa 40:3
  7. Mark 1:5 The Gk. lacks People from
  8. Mark 1:6 Lit. and
  9. Mark 1:6 Or locust-shaped carob seed pods
  10. Mark 1:8 Or in
  11. Mark 1:8 Or in
  12. Mark 1:14 Other mss. lack about the kingdom
  13. Mark 1:16 Lit. he
  14. Mark 1:21 Lit. he
  15. Mark 1:22 Lit. They
  16. Mark 1:23 Lit. Immediately
  17. Mark 1:26 Lit. him
  18. Mark 1:30 Lit. him
  19. Mark 1:32 Lit. they
  20. Mark 1:35 Lit. he
  21. Mark 1:40 I.e. a man with a serious skin disease
  22. Mark 1:40 Lit. him
  23. Mark 1:41 Lit. he
  24. Mark 1:43 Lit. he
  25. Mark 1:44 Lit. to them
  26. Mark 1:45 Lit. he
  27. Mark 1:45 Lit. he
  28. Mark 1:45 Lit. they