## The Preaching of John the Baptist 

###### 1
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

###### 2
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, 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
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 

###### 5
And all the region of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 

###### 6
And John was clothed with camel's hair and _wore_ a leather belt around his waist and was eating locusts and wild honey. 

###### 7
And he was preaching, saying, "After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the strap of His sandals. 

###### 8
I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." 

## The Baptism of Jesus 

###### 9
Now it happened that in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 

###### 10
And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 

###### 11
and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased." 

###### 12
And immediately the Spirit *drove Him _to go_ out into the wilderness. 

###### 13
And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. 

## Jesus Preaches in Galilee 

###### 14
Now after John had been delivered up _into custody_, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 

###### 15
and saying, **"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."** 

###### 16
As He was going 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
And Jesus said to them, **"Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."** 

###### 18
And immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 

###### 19
And going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 

###### 20
And immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away to follow Him. 

###### 21
And they *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and _began to_ teach. 

###### 22
And they were astonished at His teaching; for He was teaching them as _one_ having authority, and not as the scribes. 

###### 23
And immediately there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 

###### 24
saying, "What do we have to do with You, Jesus the Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!" 

###### 25
And Jesus rebuked him, saying, **"Be quiet, and come out of him!"** 

###### 26
And throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 

###### 27
And they were all amazed, so that they were arguing among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." 

###### 28
And immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee. 

## Simon's Mother-in-Law and Many Others Healed 

###### 29
And immediately after they came out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 

###### 30
Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they *spoke to Jesus about her. 

###### 31
And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she _began_ waiting on them. 

###### 32
Now when evening came, after the sun had set, they _began_ bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 

###### 33
And the whole city had gathered at the door. 

###### 34
And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was. 

###### 35
And in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus rose up, went out of _the house_, and went away to a desolate place, and was praying there. 

###### 36
And Simon and his companions searched for Him; 

###### 37
and they found Him, and *said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You." 

###### 38
And He *said to them, **"Let us go elsewhere, to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came out for."** 

###### 39
And He went, preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee and casting out the demons. 

###### 40
And a leper *came to Jesus, pleading with Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." 

###### 41
And moved with compassion, He stretched out His hand and touched him, and *said to him, **"I am willing; be cleansed."** 

###### 42
And immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 

###### 43
And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 

###### 44
and He *said to him, **"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."** 

###### 45
But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in desolate areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.