John the Baptist Prepares the Way(A)

In those days (B)John the Baptist came preaching (C)in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for (D)the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

(E)“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
(F)‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”

Now (G)John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was (H)locusts and (I)wild honey. (J)Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him (K)and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, (L)“Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from (M)the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, (N)‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. (O)Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 (P)I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. (Q)He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit [a]and fire. 12 (R)His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will (S)burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John Baptizes Jesus(T)

13 (U)Then Jesus came (V)from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

16 (W)When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and [b]He saw (X)the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 (Y)And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, (Z)“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Satan Tempts Jesus(AA)

Then (AB)Jesus was led up by (AC)the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”

But He answered and said, “It is written, (AD)‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’

Then the devil took Him up (AE)into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

(AF)‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’

and,

(AG)‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’

Jesus said to him, “It is written again, (AH)‘You shall not [c]tempt the Lord your God.’

Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and (AI)showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”

10 Then Jesus said to him, [d]“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, (AJ)‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’

11 Then the devil (AK)left Him, and behold, (AL)angels came and ministered to Him.

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry(AM)

12 (AN)Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

15 “The(AO) land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
16 (AP)The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”

17 (AQ)From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, (AR)“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven [e]is at hand.”

Four Fishermen Called as Disciples(AS)

18 (AT)And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon (AU)called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and (AV)I will make you fishers of men.” 20 (AW)They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21 (AX)Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

Jesus Heals a Great Multitude(AY)

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, (AZ)teaching in their synagogues, preaching (BA)the gospel of the kingdom, (BB)and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. 24 Then [f]His fame went throughout all Syria; and they (BC)brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. 25 (BD)Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from [g]Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 3:11 M omits and fire
  2. Matthew 3:16 Or he
  3. Matthew 4:7 test
  4. Matthew 4:10 M Get behind Me
  5. Matthew 4:17 has drawn near
  6. Matthew 4:24 Lit. the report of Him
  7. Matthew 4:25 Lit. Ten Cities

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