Mark 1:30-45 ▼

30 Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with a fever, so they promptly told Jesus about her.

31 He went up to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began serving them.

32 When evening came, after the sun had set, people started bringing to him everyone who was sick or possessed by demons.

33 In fact, the whole city gathered at the door.

34 He 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.

35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, Jesus got up and went to a deserted place and prayed there.

36 Simon and his companions searched frantically for him.

37 When 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.|

39 So he went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

40 Then a leper came to Jesus and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and told him, |If you want to, you can make me clean.|

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand, touched him, and told him, |I do want to. Be made clean!|

42 Instantly the leprosy left him, and he was clean.

43 Then Jesus sternly warned him and encouraged him to go at once.

44 He 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.|

45 But when the man left, he began to proclaim it freely. He spread the news so widely that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, but had to stay out in deserted places. Still, people kept coming to him from everywhere.