Mark 1-3

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Messiah’s Herald

1 The beginning^(A) of the gospel^(B) of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.^{(C) 2} As it is written in Isaiah^(D) the prophet:^[a](E)

⁴ John came baptizing^[d](J) in the wilderness^(K) and preaching a baptism of repentance^[e](L) for the forgiveness^(M) of sins.^{(N) 5} The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem^(O) were flocking to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan^(P) River as they confessed^(Q) their sins.^{(R) 6} John wore a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts^(S) and wild honey.^{(T) 7} He was preaching: “Someone more powerful^(U) than I will come after me.^(V) I am not worthy^(W) to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals.^{(X) 8} I have baptized you with^[f] water,^(Y) but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”^(Z)

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹ In^(AA) those days Jesus came from Nazareth^(AB) in Galilee^(AC) and was baptized in the Jordan by John. ¹⁰ As soon as He came up out of the water, He saw the heavens^(AD) being torn open and the Spirit descending to Him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice^(AE) came from heaven:^(AF)

The Temptation of Jesus

¹² Immediately^(AJ) the Spirit^(AK) drove^(AL) Him into the wilderness.^{(AM) 13} He was in the wilderness 40 days, being tempted^(AN) by Satan.^(AO) He was with the wild animals,^(AP) and the angels^(AQ) began to serve Him.

Ministry in Galilee

¹⁴ After^(AR) John was arrested,^(AS) Jesus went to Galilee,^(AT) preaching^(AU) the good news^[h][i](AV) of God:^{[j](AW) 15} “The time^(AX) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God^(AY) has come^(AZ) near.^(BA) Repent^(BB) and believe^(BC) in the good news!”

The First Disciples

¹⁶ As^(BD) He was passing along by the Sea of Galilee,^(BE) He saw Simon^(BF) and Andrew,^(BG) Simon’s brother. They were casting a net into the sea,^(BH) since they were fishermen.

¹⁷ “Follow Me,”^(BI) Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for^[k](BJ) people!”^{(BK) 18} Immediately they left their nets and followed^(BL) Him.^{(BM) 19} Going on a little farther, He saw James^(BN) the son of Zebedee^(BO) and his brother John.^(BP) They were in their boat mending their nets. ²⁰ Immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.^(BQ)

Driving Out an Unclean Spirit

²¹ Then^(BR) they went into Capernaum,^(BS) and right away He entered the synagogue^(BT) on the Sabbath^(BU) and began to teach.^{(BV) 22} They were astonished^(BW) at His teaching^(BX) because, unlike the scribes,^(BY) He was teaching them as one having authority.

²³ Just then a man with an unclean^(BZ) spirit^(CA) was in their synagogue.^(CB) He cried out,^{[l] 24} “What do You have to do with us,^[m] Jesus—Nazarene?^(CC) Have You come to destroy^(CD) us? I know who You are—the Holy^(CE) One of God!”^(CF)

²⁵ But Jesus rebuked^(CG) him and said, “Be quiet,^[n](CH) and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit convulsed him,^(CI) shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

²⁷ Then they were all amazed,^(CJ) so they began to argue^(CK) with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching^(CL) with authority!^[o](CM) He commands even the unclean^(CN) spirits,^(CO) and they obey Him.” ²⁸ News about Him then spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.^(CP)

Healings at Capernaum

²⁹ As^(CQ) soon as they left the synagogue,^(CR) they went into Simon^(CS) and Andrew’s^(CT) house^(CU) with James^(CV) and John.^{(CW) 30} Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. ³¹ So He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up.^(CX) The fever^(CY) left her,^[p] and she began to serve^(CZ) them.^(DA)

³² When^(DB) evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all those who were sick^(DC) and those who were demon-possessed.^{(DD) 33} The whole town was assembled at the door, ³⁴ and He healed^(DE) many who were sick with various diseases^(DF) and drove out^(DG) many demons.^(DH) But He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him.^(DI)

Preaching in Galilee

³⁵ Very^(DJ) early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place.^(DK) And He was praying^(DL) there. ³⁶ Simon^(DM) and his companions went searching for Him. ³⁷ They found Him and said, “Everyone’s looking for You!”

³⁸ And He said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach^(DN) there too. This is why I have come.” ³⁹ So He went into all of Galilee,^(DO) preaching in their synagogues^(DP) and driving out demons.

A Man Cleansed

⁴⁰ Then^(DQ) a man with a serious skin disease^(DR) came to Him and, on his knees,^[q](DS) begged Him: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”^(DT)

⁴¹ Moved with compassion,^(DU) Jesus reached out His hand and touched^(DV) him. “I am willing,” He told him. “Be made clean.” ⁴² Immediately the disease^(DW) left him, and he was healed.^{[r] 43} Then He sternly warned^(DX) him and sent him away^(DY) at once, ⁴⁴ telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone;^(DZ) but go and show^(EA) yourself to the priest,^(EB) and offer^(EC) what Moses prescribed for your cleansing,^(ED) as a testimony^(EE) to them.” ⁴⁵ Yet he went out and began to proclaim^(EF) it widely and to spread the news,^(EG) with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But He was out in deserted places, and they would come to Him from everywhere.

The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

2 When^(EH) He entered Capernaum^(EI) again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. ² So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message^(EJ) to them. ³ Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic,^(EK) carried by four men. ⁴ Since they were not able to bring him to^[s] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

⁵ Seeing their faith,^(EL) Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins^(EM) are forgiven.”^(EN)

⁶ But some of the scribes^(EO) were sitting there, thinking^(EP) to themselves:^{[t] 7} “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming!^(EQ) Who can forgive^(ER) sins^(ES) but God alone?”^(ET)

⁸ Right away^(EU) Jesus understood in His spirit^(EV) that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?^{[u] 9} Which is easier:^(EW) to say to the paralytic,^(EX) ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’?^{(EY) 10} But so you may know that the Son of Man^(EZ) has authority^(FA) on earth to forgive sins,”^(FB) He told the paralytic, ¹¹ “I tell you: get up,^(FC) pick up your mat, and go home.”

¹² Immediately he got up, picked up the mat, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded^(FD) and gave glory^(FE) to God,^(FF) saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”^(FG)

The Call of Matthew

¹³ Then^(FH) Jesus went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to Him, and He taught^(FI) them. ¹⁴ Then, moving on, He saw Levi^(FJ) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,^(FK) and He said to him, “Follow Me!”^(FL) So he got up and followed^(FM) Him.

Dining with Sinners

¹⁵ While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors^(FN) and sinners^(FO) were also guests^[v](FP) with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. ¹⁶ When the scribes^(FQ) of the Pharisees^[w](FR) saw that He was eating^(FS) with sinners^(FT) and tax collectors,^(FU) they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat^[x] with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need^(FV) a doctor,^(FW) but the sick^(FX) do need one. I didn’t come to call the righteous,^(FY) but sinners.”^(FZ)

A Question about Fasting

¹⁸ Now^(GA) John’s^(GB) disciples^(GC) and the Pharisees^[y](GD) were fasting.^(GE) People came and asked Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the Pharisees’ disciples fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁹ Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests^[z] cannot fast while the groom^(GF) is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the time^[aa] will come^(GG) when the groom is taken away from them,^(GH) and then they will fast^(GI) in that day. ²¹ No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new patch pulls away from the old cloth,^(GJ) and a worse tear is made. ²² And no one puts new wine^(GK) into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst^(GL) the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins.^[ab] But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Lord of the Sabbath

²³ On^(GM) the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples^(GN) began to make their way picking some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(GO) said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(GP) on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Have you never read what David^(GQ) and those who were with him did when he was in need^(GR) and hungry^(GS)— ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar^(GT) the high priest^(GU) and ate the sacred bread^(GV)—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests^(GW)—and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for^[ac] man and not man for^[ad] the Sabbath.^{(GX) 28} Therefore, the Son of Man^(GY) is Lord^(GZ) even of the Sabbath.”^(HA)

The Man with the Paralyzed Hand

3 Now^(HB) He entered the synagogue^(HC) again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed^(HD) hand. ² In order to accuse^(HE) Him, they were watching Him closely^(HF) to see whether He would heal^(HG) him on the Sabbath.^{(HH) 3} He told the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand before us.”^{[ae] 4} Then He said to them, “Is it lawful^(HI) on the Sabbath to do what is good^(HJ) or to do what is evil,^(HK) to save life^(HL) or to kill?”^(HM) But they were silent.^{(HN) 5} After looking around at them with anger^(HO) and sorrow at the hardness^(HP) of their hearts, He told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.^{(HQ) 6} Immediately the Pharisees^(HR) went out and started plotting^(HS) with the Herodians^(HT) against Him, how they might destroy^(HU) Him.

Ministering to the Multitude

⁷ Jesus^(HV) departed with His disciples to the sea, and a large crowd followed from Galilee,^(HW) Judea,^{(HX) 8} Jerusalem,^(HY) Idumea, beyond the Jordan,^(HZ) and around Tyre^(IA) and Sidon.^(IB) The large crowd came to Him because they heard about everything He was doing. ⁹ Then He told His disciples to have a small boat^(IC) ready for Him, so the crowd would not crush Him. ¹⁰ Since He had healed^(ID) many, all who had diseases were pressing toward Him to touch^(IE) Him. ¹¹ Whenever the unclean^(IF) spirits^(IG) saw Him, those possessed fell down^(IH) before Him and cried out, “You are the Son of God!”^{(II) 12} And He would strongly warn^(IJ) them not to make Him known.^(IK)

The 12 Apostles

¹³ Then^(IL) He went up the mountain^(IM) and summoned those He wanted, and they came to Him. ¹⁴ He also appointed 12—He also named them apostles^[af](IN)—to be with Him, to send them out to preach,^{(IO) 15} and to have authority to^[ag] drive out demons.

¹⁶ He appointed the Twelve:^[ah](IP)

A House Divided

²⁰ Then He went home, and the crowd gathered again so that they were not even able to eat.^{[ak] 21} When His family^(JB) heard this, they set out to restrain Him, because they said, “He’s out of His mind.”^(JC)

²² The scribes^(JD) who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul^(JE) in Him!” and, “He drives out^(JF) demons^(JG) by the ruler^(JH) of the demons!”^(JI)

²³ So He summoned^(JJ) them and spoke to them in parables:^(JK) “How can Satan^(JL) drive out Satan?^{(JM) 24} If a kingdom^(JN) is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished!^[al]

²⁷ “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man’s house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up^(JO) the strong man. Then he will rob his house. ²⁸ I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins^[am] and whatever blasphemies^(JP) they may blaspheme. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes^(JQ) against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness,^(JR) but is guilty^(JS) of an eternal sin”^[an](JT)— ³⁰ because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”^(JU)

True Relationships

³¹ Then^(JV) His mother^(JW) and His brothers^(JX) came, and standing outside, they sent word to Him and called Him. ³² A crowd was sitting around Him and told Him, “Look, Your mother, Your brothers,^(JY) and Your sisters^[ao] are outside asking for You.”

³³ He replied to them, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” ³⁴ And looking about at those who were sitting in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!^{(JZ) 35} Whoever does the will of God^(KA) is My brother and sister and mother.”