^{1 Ref} The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

^{2 Ref} Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way.

^{3 Ref} The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight;

^{4 Ref} John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins.

^{5 Ref} And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem; And they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

^{6 Ref} And John was clothed with camel's hair, and `had' a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild honey.

^{7 Ref} And he preached, saying, There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

^{8 Ref} I baptized you in water; But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.

^{9 Ref} And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan.

^{10 Ref} And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him:

^{11 Ref} And a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.

^{12 Ref} And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the wilderness.

^{13 Ref} And he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; And he was with the wild beasts; And the angels ministered unto him.

^{14 Ref} Now after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,

^{15 Ref} and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel.

^{16 Ref} And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishers.

^{17 Ref} And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.

^{18 Ref} And straightway they left the nets, and followed him.

^{19 Ref} And going on a little further, he saw James the `son' of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets.

^{20 Ref} And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

^{21 Ref} And they go into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.

^{22 Ref} And they were astonished at his teaching: For he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

^{23 Ref} And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

^{24 Ref} saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

^{25 Ref} And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

^{26 Ref} And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

^{27 Ref} And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.

^{28 Ref} And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about.

^{29 Ref} And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

^{30 Ref} Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever; and straightway they tell him of her:

^{31 Ref} and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

^{32 Ref} And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons.

^{33 Ref} And all the city was gathered together at the door.

^{34 Ref} And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him.

^{35 Ref} And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed.

³⁶ And Simon and they that were with him followed after him;

^{37 Ref} and they found him, and say unto him, All are seeking thee.

^{38 Ref} And he saith unto them, Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth.

^{39 Ref} And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

^{40 Ref} And there cometh to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

^{41 Ref} And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou made clean.

^{42 Ref} And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

^{43 Ref} And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out,

^{44 Ref} and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

^{45 Ref} But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

^{1 Ref} The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

^{2 Ref} As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, Who will prepare your way before you.

^{3 Ref} The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"

^{4 Ref} John came baptizing{To baptize means to immerse in (or wash with) water (or fire). This baptizm is not just to cleanse the body, but as an outward sign of an inward spiritual cleansing and commitment.} in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

^{5 Ref} All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

^{6 Ref} John was clothed with camel's hair and a leather belt around his loins. He ate locusts and wild honey.

^{7 Ref} He preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

^{8 Ref} I baptized you in{The Greek word (en) translated here as "in" could also be translated as "with" in some contexts.} water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit."

^{9 Ref} It happened in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

^{10 Ref} Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

^{11 Ref} A voice came out of the sky, "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

^{12 Ref} Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

^{13 Ref} He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were ministering to him.

^{14 Ref} Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God,

^{15 Ref} and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Gospel."

^{16 Ref} Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea, for they were fishermen.

^{17 Ref} Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men."

^{18 Ref} Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

^{19 Ref} Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

^{20 Ref} Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

^{21 Ref} They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.

^{22 Ref} They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

^{23 Ref} Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

^{24 Ref} saying, "Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!"

^{25 Ref} Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"

^{26 Ref} The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

^{27 Ref} They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!"

^{28 Ref} The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

^{29 Ref} Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

^{30 Ref} Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

^{31 Ref} He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.

^{32 Ref} At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons.

^{33 Ref} All the city was gathered together at the door.

^{34 Ref} He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn't allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

^{35 Ref} Early in the night, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.

³⁶ Simon and those who were with him followed after him;

^{37 Ref} and they found him, and told him, "Everyone is looking for you."

^{38 Ref} He said to them, "Let's go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this reason I came forth."

^{39 Ref} He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

^{40 Ref} There came to him a leper, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, "If you want to, you can make me clean."

^{41 Ref} Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, "I want to. Be made clean."

^{42 Ref} When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

^{43 Ref} He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out,

^{44 Ref} and said to him, "See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them."

^{45 Ref} But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere.