Ministry in Galilee

¹² When he heard that John had been arrested,^(A) he withdrew into Galilee.^{(B) 13} He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum^(C) by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. ¹⁴ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁷ From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven^(E) has come near.”

Ministry in Galilee

¹⁴ After^(A) John was arrested,^(B) Jesus went to Galilee,^(C) proclaiming^(D) the good news^[a][b](E) of God:^{(F) 15} “The time^(G) is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God^(H) has come^(I) near.^(J) Repent^(K) and believe^(L) the good news!”

The First Disciples

¹⁶ As^(M) he passed alongside the Sea of Galilee,^(N) he saw Simon^(O) and Andrew,^(P) Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea^(Q)—for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Follow me,”^(R) Jesus told them, “and I will make you fish for^[c](S) people.”^{(T) 18} Immediately they left their nets and followed^(U) him.^{(V) 19} Going on a little farther, he saw James^(W) the son of Zebedee^(X) and his brother John^(Y) in a boat putting their nets in order. ²⁰ Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.^(Z)

Driving Out an Unclean Spirit

²¹ They^(AA) went into Capernaum,^(AB) and right away he entered the synagogue^(AC) on the Sabbath^(AD) and began to teach.^{(AE) 22} They were astonished^(AF) at his teaching^(AG) because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

²³ Just then a man with an unclean^(AH) spirit^(AI) was in their synagogue.^(AJ) He cried out, ²⁴ “What do you have to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?^(AK) Have you come to destroy^(AL) us? I know who you are—the Holy^(AM) One of God!” ^(AN)

²⁵ Jesus rebuked^(AO) him saying, “Be silent,^(AP) and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions,^(AQ) shouted with a loud voice, and came out of him.

²⁷ They were all amazed,^(AR) and so they began to ask^(AS) each other, “What is this? A new teaching^(AT) with authority!^[d](AU) He commands even the unclean^(AV) spirits,^(AW) and they obey him.” ²⁸ At once the news about him spread throughout the entire vicinity of Galilee.^(AX)

Healings at Capernaum

²⁹ As^(AY) soon as they left the synagogue,^(AZ) they went into Simon^(BA) and Andrew’s^(BB) house^(BC) with James^(BD) and John.^{(BE) 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.^(BF) The fever^(BG) left her,^[e] and she began to serve^(BH) them.^(BI)

³² When^(BJ) evening came, after the sun had set, they brought to him all those who were sick^(BK) and demon-possessed.^{(BL) 33} The whole town was assembled at the door, ³⁴ and he healed^(BM) many who were sick with various diseases^(BN) and drove out^(BO) many demons.^(BP) And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.^(BQ)

Preaching in Galilee

³⁵ Very^(BR) early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and made his way to a deserted place;^(BS) and there he was praying.^{(BT) 36} Simon^(BU) and his companions searched for him, ³⁷ and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

³⁸ And he said to them, “Let’s go on to the neighboring villages so that I may preach^(BV) there too. This is why I have come.”

A Man Cleansed

³⁹ He went into all of Galilee,^(BW) preaching in their synagogues^(BX) and driving out demons. ⁴⁰ Then^(BY) a man with leprosy^[f](BZ) came to him and, on his knees,^[g](CA) begged him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”^{(CB) 41} Moved with compassion,^[h](CC) Jesus reached out his hand and touched^(CD) him. “I am willing,” he told him. “Be made clean.” ⁴² Immediately the leprosy^(CE) left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ Then he sternly warned^(CF) him and sent him away^(CG) at once, ⁴⁴ telling him, “See that you say nothing to anyone;^(CH) but go and show^(CI) yourself to the priest,^(CJ) and offer^(CK) what Moses commanded for your cleansing,^(CL) as a testimony^(CM) to them.”^{[i] 45} Yet he went out and began to proclaim^(CN) it widely and to spread the news,^(CO) with the result that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. But he was out in deserted places, and they came to him from everywhere.

The Son of Man Forgives and Heals

2 When^(CP) he entered Capernaum^(CQ) 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 word^(CR) to them. ³ They came to him bringing a paralytic,^(CS) carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they were not able to bring him to^[j] Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and after digging through it, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ Seeing their faith,^(CT) Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins^(CU) are forgiven.”^(CV)

⁶ But some of the scribes^(CW) were sitting there, questioning^(CX) in their hearts: ⁷ “Why does he speak like this? He’s blaspheming!^(CY) Who can forgive^(CZ) sins^(DA) but God alone?” ^(DB)

⁸ Right away^(DC) Jesus perceived in his spirit^(DD) that they were thinking like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier:^(DE) to say to the paralytic,^(DF) ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat, and walk’?^{(DG) 10} But so that you may know that the Son of Man^(DH) has authority^(DI) on earth to forgive sins”^(DJ)—he told the paralytic— ¹¹ “I tell you: get up,^(DK) take your mat, and go home.”

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

The Call of Levi

¹³ Jesus^(DP) went out again beside the sea. The whole crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching^(DQ) them. ¹⁴ Then, passing by, he saw Levi^(DR) the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office,^(DS) and he said to him, “Follow me,”^(DT) and he got up and followed^(DU) him.

¹⁵ While he was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors^(DV) and sinners^(DW) were eating^[k] with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him. ¹⁶ When the scribes^(DX) who were Pharisees^[l](DY) saw that he was eating^(DZ) with sinners^(EA) and tax collectors,^(EB) they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat^[m] with tax collectors and sinners?”

¹⁷ When Jesus heard this, he told them, “It is not those who are well who need^(EC) a doctor,^(ED) but those who are sick.^(EE) I didn’t come to call the righteous,^(EF) but sinners.”^(EG)

A Question about Fasting

¹⁸ Now^(EH) John’s^(EI) disciples^(EJ) and the Pharisees^[n](EK) were fasting.^(EL) 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 cannot fast while the groom^(EM) is with them, can they? As long as they have the groom with them, they cannot fast. ²⁰ But the time^[o] will come^(EN) when the groom will be taken away from them,^(EO) and then they will fast^(EP) on 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,^(EQ) and a worse tear is made. ²² And no one puts new wine^(ER) into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst^(ES) the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. No, new wine is put into fresh wineskins.”

Lord of the Sabbath

²³ On^(ET) the Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and his disciples^(EU) began to make their way, picking some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees^(EV) said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful^(EW) on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He said to them, “Have you never read what David^(EX) and those who were with him did when he was in need^(EY) and hungry^(EZ) — ²⁶ how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar^(FA) the high priest^(FB) and ate the bread of the Presence^(FC) —which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests^(FD) —and also gave some to his companions?” ²⁷ Then he told them, “The Sabbath was made for^[p] man and not man for the Sabbath.^{(FE) 28} So then, the Son of Man^(FF) is Lord^(FG) even of the Sabbath.”^(FH)