New Testament in a Year
23 All of a sudden,[a] there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean spirit! He screamed, 24 “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!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him. “Be quiet,” he ordered, “and come out of him!” 26 At this, the unclean spirit shook the man,[b] cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him.
27 All the people were so stunned that they kept saying to each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He tells even the unclean spirits what to do, and they obey him!” 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many People(A)
29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever, so they promptly told Jesus[c] about her. 31 He went up to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them. 32 When evening came, after the sun had set, people[d] started bringing to him everyone who was sick or possessed by demons. 33 In fact, the whole city gathered at the door. 34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. However, he wouldn’t allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was.
Jesus Goes on a Preaching Tour(B)
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus[e] got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there. 36 Simon and his companions searched frantically for him. 37 When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you.”
38 “Let’s go to the neighboring town,” he replied, “so I can preach there, too, because that’s why I came.” 39 So he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper(C)
40 Then a leper[f] came to Jesus[g] and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”
41 Moved with compassion, Jesus[h] reached out his hand, touched him, and told him, “I do want to. Be made clean!” 42 Instantly the leprosy left him, and he was clean.
43 Then Jesus[i] sternly warned him and encouraged him to go at once. 44 He told the man, “Be sure that you don’t tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as proof to the authorities.”[j] 45 But when the man[k] left, he began to proclaim it freely. He spread the news so widely that Jesus[l] could no longer enter a town openly, but had to stay out in deserted places. Still, people[m] kept coming to him from everywhere.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.