English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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

1This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began

2As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,

2just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.

3the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’”

3He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’ ”

4John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

4This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

5And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

5All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

6Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

6His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

7And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

7John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.

8I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!” The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

9One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River.

10And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

10As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.

11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

11And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”

12The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.

12The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness,

13And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

13where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.

14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

14Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.

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

15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” The First Disciples

16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

16One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.

17And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”

17Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

18And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

18And they left their nets at once and followed him.

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

19A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets.

20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

20He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men. Jesus Casts Out an Evil Spirit

21And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching.

21Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach.

22And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

22The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

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

23Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,

24“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.”

24“Why are you interfering 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, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”

25But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered.

26And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.

26At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

27And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”

27Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!”

28And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

28The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee. Jesus Heals Many People

29And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

29After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home.

30Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

30Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away.

31And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

31So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

32That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons.

32That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus.

33And the whole city was gathered together at the door.

33The whole town gathered at the door to watch.

34And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

34So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak. Jesus Preaches in Galilee

35And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.

36And Simon and those who were with him searched for him,

36Later Simon and the others went out to find him.

37and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

37When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

38And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.”

38But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.”

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

39So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons. Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

40And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.”

40A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.

41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

41Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”

42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

42Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.

43And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,

43Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning:

44and 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, for a proof to them.”

44 “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

45But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

45But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.