the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”

Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.

And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts?

And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.

And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain.

And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

A Great Crowd Follows Jesus

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea

And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him,

And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

Jesus' Mother and Brothers

And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him.

And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:

He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid.

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet

She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.

For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.”

And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her.

But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.

and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.

Jesus Walks on the Water

Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.

But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)—

then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,

And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable.

since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet.

And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.

And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.

And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them,

And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”

And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.

And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”

Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?

For what can a man give in return for his soul?

For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.

And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.”

And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.

And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”

for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.”

And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them,

For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Temptations to Sin

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.

Teaching About Divorce

And he left there and went to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan, and crowds gathered to him again. And again, as was his custom, he taught them.

And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,

And he said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her,

And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.

The Rich Young Man

And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God!

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid. And taking the twelve again, he began to tell them what was to happen to him,

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus Heals Blind Bartimaeus

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.

And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

The Triumphal Entry

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples

And he said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it.

And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and were seeking a way to destroy him, for they feared him, because all the crowd was astonished at his teaching.

Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

Paying Taxes to Caesar

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.

“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.

David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?” And the great throng heard him gladly.

Beware of the Scribes

And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces

And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!”

And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.

Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out,

and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head.

The Passover with the Disciples

And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”

And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”

But one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.

A Young Man Flees

And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him,

And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need?

You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.

And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him.

And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

The Crucifixion

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.

And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left.

And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.

And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”