1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah,“Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face,who will prepare your way, 3the voice of one shouting in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way of the Lord,make straight his paths!’ ” 4John was there baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6And John was dressed in camel’s hair and a belt made of leather around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7And he was preaching, saying, “One who is more powerful than I is coming after me, of whom I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals. 8I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” 9And it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. 10And immediately as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being split apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” 12And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him. 14Now after John ˻had been taken into custody˼, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!” 16And as he was passing by along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 17And Jesus said to them, “˻Follow˼ me and I will make you become fishers of people.” 18And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, and they were in the boat mending the nets. 20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went away after him. 21And they went into Capernaum and immediately on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22And they were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes. 23And so then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24saying, “˻Leave us alone˼, Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26And after convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. 27And they were all amazed, so that they began to discuss with one another, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28And the report about him then went out everywhere in the whole surrounding region of Galilee. 29And so then he departed from the synagogue and came into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, suffering with a fever, and at once they told him about her. 31And he came and raised her up by taking hold of her hand, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them. 32Now when it was evening, when the sun had set, they began bringing to him all those ˻who were sick˼ and those who were demon-possessed. 33And the whole town was gathered together at the door. 34And he healed many ˻who were sick˼ with various diseases and expelled many demons. And he did not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35And getting up early in the morning while it was very dark, he departed and went to a deserted place, and there he was praying. 36And Simon and those who were with him searched diligently for him. 37And they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you!” 38And he said to them, “Let us go elsewhere, into the neighboring rural towns, so that I can preach there also, because I have come out for this very reason.” 39And he went into all Galilee preaching in their synagogues and expelling demons. 40And a leper came to him, entreating him and kneeling down and saying to him, “If you are willing, you are able to make me clean.” 41And having compassion, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be made clean.” 42And immediately the leprosy went away from him and he was made clean. 43And warning him sternly, he sent him away at once. 44And he said to him, “See to it that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and bring for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread abroad the account, so that he was no longer able to enter publicly into a town. But he was staying outside in deserted places, and they were coming to him from all directions.