Mark 1
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)
Look, I am sending My messenger(F) ahead of You,
who will prepare Your way.[b]
3 A voice of one crying out in the wilderness:(G)
Prepare the way for the Lord;(H)
make His paths straight!(I)[c]
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 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.
Footnotes
- Mark 1:2 Other mss read in the prophets
- Mark 1:2 Other mss add before You
- Mark 1:3 Is 40:3; Mal 3:1
- Mark 1:4 Or John the Baptist came, or John the Baptizer came
- Mark 1:4 Or a baptism based on repentance
- Mark 1:8 Or in
- Mark 1:11 Or In You I am well pleased
- Mark 1:14 Other mss add of the kingdom
- Mark 1:14 Or gospel
- Mark 1:14 Either from God or about God
- Mark 1:17 Lit you to become fishers of
- Mark 1:23 Other mss add to the beginning of v. 24: “Leave us alone.
- Mark 1:24 Lit What to us and to You
- Mark 1:25 Or Be muzzled
- Mark 1:27 Other mss read What is this? What is this new teaching? For with authority
- Mark 1:31 Other mss add at once
- Mark 1:40 Other mss omit on his knees
- Mark 1:42 Lit made clean
Mark 1
The Message
John the Baptizer
1 1-3 The good news of Jesus Christ—the Message!—begins here, following to the letter the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;
He’ll make the road smooth for you.
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
4-6 John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.
7-8 As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”
9-11 At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”
God’s Kingdom Is Here
12-13 At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.
14-15 After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
16-18 Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.
19-20 A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.
Confident Teaching
21-22 Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.
23-24 Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out, “What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to! You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!”
25-26 Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!” The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out.
27-28 Everyone there was spellbound, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and tells them to get lost!” News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.
29-31 Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew’s house, accompanied by James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus. He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them.
32-34 That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, the whole city lined up at his door! He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn’t let them say a word.
The Leper
35-37 While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.”
38-39 Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I’ve come.” He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.
40 A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.”
41-45 Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: “Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people.” But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.
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Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson