John the Baptizer Prepares the Way
Mark 1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way”+Mal 3:1 “the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Y’all prepare the way of the Lord [YHWH]! Y’all make his paths straight!’”+Isa 40:3John the Baptizer appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. People from the whole Judean countryside and everyone in Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, publicly acknowledging their sins. John wore clothing made from camel hair and a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes one who is stronger than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptized y’all with water, but he will baptize y’all in the Holy Spirit.”
The Father Validates and the Spirit Leads Jesus
In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. A voice came from the heavens, “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”
Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. He was there in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving him.
Jesus Begins Preaching
Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Empire of God is near! Y’all repent and believe in the gospel.”
Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Y’all come follow me, and I will make y’all fishers of humans.”
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
Jesus Casts Out a Spirit on the Sabbath
They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath day came, Jesus entered the synagogue and began to teach. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, not like the scribes. Just then, there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, “What do we have to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
The unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions, then screamed as he came out of him. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—one with authority? For he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” Reports about him spread everywhere in the whole region of Galilee and its surrounding area.
Jesus Heals Crowds
As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was laying sick with a fever, and they immediately told him about her. He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.
When evening came, after sunset, the people began bringing him everyone who was sick and those who were possessed by demons. The whole city was gathered at the door. He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. But he didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.
Jesus Retreats to Pray
Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, departed, and went to a deserted place where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him searched for him. They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He said to them, “Let’s go somewhere else—into the nearby towns—so that I can preach there too, because this is why I came.” He went throughout all Galilee preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy
A leper came to him, begging him, falling on his knees before him, and saying, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Feeling gut-wrenching sympathy, he reached out his hand and touched the man, saying, “I am willing. Be clean.” Immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. Immediately Jesus sent him out with a stern warning “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Instead, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer openly enter into a city, but stayed outside in lonely places. Still people came to him from everywhere.