Mark 1 — AAB
The Mission of John the Baptist
1Verse 1This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.+Verse 2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:+“Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You,who will prepare Your way.”+Verse 3“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for Him.’”+Verse 4John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.Verse 5People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.Verse 6John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.Verse 7And he proclaimed: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.Verse 8I baptize you with water,+but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.+”Verse 9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.Verse 10As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw+the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.Verse 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus
Verse 12At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness,Verse 13and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.Verse 14After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.+Verse 15“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”The First Disciples
Verse 16As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.Verse 17“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”Verse 18And at once they left their nets and followed Him.Verse 19Going on a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets.Verse 20Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit
Verse 21Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.Verse 22The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.Verse 23Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue:Verse 24“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”Verse 25But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”Verse 26At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.Verse 27All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”Verse 28And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.Jesus Heals at Peter’s House
Verse 29As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.Verse 30Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her.Verse 31So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.Verse 32That evening, after sunset, people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed,Verse 33and the whole town gathered at the door.Verse 34And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.Jesus Prays and Preaches
Verse 35Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray.Verse 36Simon and his companions went to look for Him,Verse 37and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”Verse 38But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”Verse 39So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.The Leper’s Prayer
Verse 40Then a leper+came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”Verse 41Moved with compassion,+Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”Verse 42And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed.Verse 43Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning:Verse 44“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”+Verse 45But the man went out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news.Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places. Yet people came to Him from every quarter.