1 THE Beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ.
2 It is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord; make his paths straight' ";
4 just so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching the baptism of a change of heart for forgiveness of sins.
5 All the land of Judaea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
6 John's clothes were of camel's hair and he had a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He proclaimed, "One is coming after me who is more powerful than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop and loose.
8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Immediately as he was coming up from the water he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him.
11 And there was a voice from the heavens, "Thou art my Son, my Beloved; in thee I am well pleased."
12 Immediately the spirit impelled him to go out into the wild lands.
13 And he was in the wild lands forty days, tempted by Satan. There he was among the wild beasts, but angels waited upon him.
14 After John had been betrayed, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God
15 and saying, "The time has been completed and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news."
16 As he passed along by the lake of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
17 Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."
18 They immediately left their nets and followed him.
19 Going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in their boat, mending their net.
20 Immediately he called them. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him away.
21 They came into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught.
22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as if he had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 There was in their synagogue a man wider the power of an impure spirit, and he immediately cried out,
24 "What have you to do with us, Nazarene Jesus? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are \'97 the Holy one of God."
25 But Jesus reproved him and said, "Be still, and come out of him."
26 Then the impure spirit convulsed him, and screamed loudly and came out.
27 They were all amazed so that they discussed together, "What is this? A new powerful teaching! He commands even the impure spirits and they obey him!"
28 So reports about him immediately spread everywhere through the whole region of Galilee.
29 As soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 The mother-in-law of Simon was lying sick with fever. Immediately they told him about her.
31 He came to her, and took her by the hand and lifted her up. The fever left her and she waited on them.
32 When evening came and the sun had set, they brought to him all the sick and those who were afflicted with demons;
33 and the whole city was gathered before the door.
34 He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons, not allowing the demons to talk, because they knew him.
35 Early in the morning, while it was still night, he rose and went out, and went away into a solitary place and there prayed.
36 Simon and his companions searched for him,
37 and when they found him they said to him, "All are looking for you?
38 But he said to them, "Let us go somewhere else among the neighboring villages, so that I may preach there too; for it was for this purpose that I came away."
39 And he went through all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
40 There came to him a leper, begging him and kneeling to him and saying, "If you will, you can cleanse me."
41 He had compassion on him, and stretched out his hand and touched him, and said, "I do will it; be cleansed."
42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he became clean.
43 Then Jesus sent him away after strictly charging him,
44 "Be sure, do not say anything to anybody, but go and show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed for evidence."
45 But the man went away and began to proclaim freely and to spread the report, so that Jesus was no longer able to enter openly into any city, but stayed out in the wild country, and people came to him from every direction.