John the Baptist Prepares the Way for Jesus

(Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-9, 15-17; John 1:19-28)

1This isa the beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah,b the Son of God.c 2As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,

“See! I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way.d

3He is a voice calling out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way for the Lord!e

Make his paths straight!’”f

4John was baptizing in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism about repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5People fromg the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were flocking to him, being baptized by him while they confessed their sins. 6Now John was dressed in camel’s hair withh a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppersi and wild honey. 7He kept proclaiming, “The one who is coming after me is stronger than I am, and I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps. 8I baptized you withj water, but it is he who will baptize you withk the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus is Baptized

(Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-22)

9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10Just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens split open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11Then a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you!”

Jesus is Tempted by Satan

(Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13)

12At once the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. 13He was in the wilderness for 40 days being tempted by Satan. He was among wild animals, and angels were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry in Galilee

(Matthew 4:12-17; Luke 4:14-15)

14Now after John had been arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and proclaimed the gospel about the kingdoml of God. 15He said, “The time is now! The kingdom of God is near! Repent, and keep believing the gospel!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

(Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:1-11)

16While Jesusm was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. 17Jesus told them, “Follow me, and I’ll make you fishers of people!” 18So immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat repairing their nets. 20He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

(Luke 4:31-37)

21Then they went to Capernaum. As soon as it was the Sabbaths, Jesusn went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22The peopleo were utterly amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one with authority, and not like their scribes. 23All of a sudden,p there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean spirit! He screamed, 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!”

25But Jesus rebuked him. “Be quiet,” he ordered, “and come out of him!” 26At this, the unclean spirit shook the man,q cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him.

27All the people were so stunned that they kept saying to each other, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He tells even the unclean spirits what to do, and they obey him!” 28At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many People

(Matthew 8:14-17; Luke 4:38-41)

29After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew, along with James and John. 30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever, so they promptly told Jesusr about her. 31He went up to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them. 32When evening came, after the sun had set, peoples started bringing to him everyone who was sick or possessed by demons. 33In fact, the whole city gathered at the door. 34He healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. However, he wouldn’t allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Goes on a Preaching Tour

(Luke 4:42-44)

35In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesust got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there. 36Simon and his companions searched frantically for him. 37When they found him, they told him, “Everyone’s looking for you.”

38“Let’s go to the neighboring town,” he replied, “so I can preach there, too, because that’s why I came.” 39So he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

(Matthew 8:1-4; Luke 5:12-16)

40Then a leperu came to Jesusv and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

41Moved with compassion, Jesusw reached out his hand, touched him, and told him, “I do want to. Be made clean!” 42Instantly the leprosy left him, and he was clean.

43Then Jesusx sternly warned him and encouraged him to go at once. 44He told the man, “Be sure that you don’t tell anyone. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest, and then offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as proof to the authorities.”y 45But when the manz left, he began to proclaim it freely. He spread the news so widely that Jesusaa could no longer enter a town openly, but had to stay out in deserted places. Still, peoplebb kept coming to him from everywhere.