New Testament in a Year

³¹ Then he returned to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and preached there in the synagogue every Saturday. ³² Here, too, the people were amazed at the things he said. For he spoke as one who knew the truth, instead of merely quoting the opinions of others as his authority.

³³ Once as he was teaching in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon began shouting at Jesus, ³⁴ “Go away! We want nothing to do with you, Jesus from Nazareth. You have come to destroy us. I know who you are—the Holy Son of God.”

³⁵ Jesus cut him short. “Be silent!” he told the demon. “Come out!” The demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched, and then left him without hurting him further.

³⁶ Amazed, the people asked, “What is in this man’s words that even demons obey him?” ³⁷ The story of what he had done spread like wildfire throughout the whole region.

³⁸ After leaving the synagogue that day, he went to Simon’s home where he found Simon’s mother-in-law very sick with a high fever. “Please heal her,” everyone begged.

³⁹ Standing at her bedside he spoke to the fever, rebuking it, and immediately her temperature returned to normal, and she got up and prepared a meal for them!^[a]

⁴⁰ As the sun went down that evening, all the villagers who had any sick people in their homes, no matter what their diseases were, brought them to Jesus; and the touch of his hands healed every one! ⁴¹ Some were possessed by demons; and the demons came out at his command, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But because they knew he was the Christ, he stopped them and told them to be silent.

⁴² Early the next morning he went out into the desert. The crowds searched everywhere for him, and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them but to stay at Capernaum. ⁴³ But he replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other places too, for that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ So he continued to travel around preaching in synagogues throughout Judea.