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as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”—
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And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
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The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
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And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
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And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
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Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
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The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.
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Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out,
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“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
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The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.”
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News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.
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The whole town gathered at the door,
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and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.
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and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
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Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
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Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.
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When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”
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“Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
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Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?
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But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man,
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Jesus Calls Levi and Eats With Sinners
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.
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While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
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When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
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On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
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Jesus Questioned About Fasting
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?”
