Jesus is Tempted by Satan

(Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13)

1Then Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2where he was being tempted by the devil for 40 days. During that time he ate nothing at all, and when they were over he became hungry.

3The devil told him, “Sincea you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.”

4Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘One must not live on bread alone,

but on every word of God.’”b

5The devilc also took him to a high placed and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. 6He told Jesus,e “I will give you all this authority, along with their glory, because it has been given to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7So if you will worship me, all this will be yours.”

8But Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘You must worship the Lordf your God and serve only him.’”g

9The devilh also took him into Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the Temple. He told Jesus,i “Sincej you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10because it is written,

‘Godk will put his angels in charge of you

to watch over you carefully.

11With their hands they will hold you up,

so that you will never hit your foot against a rock.’”l

12Jesus answered him, “It has been said, ‘You must not tempt the Lordm your God.’”n

13After the devil had finished tempting Jesus in every possible way, he left him until another time.

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

(Matthew 4:12-17; Mark 1:14-15)

14Then Jesus returned to Galilee by the power of the Spirit. Meanwhile, the news about him spread throughout the surrounding country. 15He began to teach in their synagogues and was continuously receiving praise from everyone.

Jesus is Rejected at Nazareth

(Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6)

16Then Jesuso came to Nazareth, where he had been raised. As was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. When he stood up to read, 17the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling the scroll, he found the place where it was written,

18“The Spirit of the Lordp is upon me;

he has anointed me to tell

the good news to the poor.

He has sent me to announce release to the prisoners

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to set oppressed people free,

19and to announce the year of the Lord’sq favor.”r

20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. While the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him, 21he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled, as you’ve heard it read aloud.”s

22All the people began to speak well of him and to wonder at the gracious words that flowed from his mouth. They said, “This is Joseph’s son, isn’t it?”

23So he told them, “You will probably quote this proverb to me, ‘Doctor, heal yourself! Do everything here in your hometown that we hear you did in Capernaum.’”

24He added, “I tell all of yout with certainty, a prophet is not accepted in his hometown. 25I’m telling you the truth—there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when it didn’t rainu for three years and six months and there was a severe famine everywhere in the land. 26Yet Elijah wasn’t sent to a single one of those widows except to one at Zarephath in Sidon. 27There were also many lepers in Israel in the prophet Elisha’s time, yet not one of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28All the people in the synagogue became furious when they heard this. 29They got up, forced Jesusv out of the city, and led him to the edge of the hill on which their city was built, intending to throw him off. 30But he walked right through the middle of them and went away.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

(Mark 1:21-28)

31Then Jesusw went down to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and began teaching the peoplex on Sabbath days.y 32They were utterly amazed at what he taught, because his message was spokenz with authority.

33In the synagogue was a man who had a demon.aa He screamed with a loud voice, 34“Oh, no! 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!”

35But Jesus rebuked him. “Be quiet,” he said, “and come out of him!” At this, the demon threw the manbb down in the middle of the synagoguecc and came out of him without hurting him.

36Overwhelmed with amazement, they all kept saying to one another, “What kind of statement is this?—because with authority and power he gives orders to unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37So news about him spread to every place in the surrounding region.

Jesus Heals Many People

(Matthew 8:14-17; Mark 1:29-34)

38Then Jesusdd got up to leave the synagogue and went into Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever, so they asked Jesusee about her. 39He bent over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began serving them. 40When the sun was setting, everyone who had any friendsff suffering from various diseases brought them to him. He placed his hands on each of them and began healing them. 41Even demons came out of many people, screaming, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesusgg rebuked them and ordered them not to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.hh

Jesus Goes on a Preaching Tour

(Mark 1:35-39)

42At daybreak he left and went to a deserted place, while the crowds kept looking for him. When they came to him, they tried to keep him from leaving them. 43But he told them, “I have to proclaim the good news about the kingdom of God in other cities, because I was sent to do that also.” 44So he continued to preach in the synagogues of Galilee.ii