| 1. | The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. |
| 2. | As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way; |
| 3. | the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight -- " |
| 4. | John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. |
| 5. | And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. |
| 6. | Now John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leather girdle around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. |
| 7. | And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. |
| 8. | I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." |
| 9. | In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. |
| 10. | And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; |
| 11. | and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased." |
| 12. | The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. |
| 13. | And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. |
| 14. | Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, |
| 15. | and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." |
| 16. | And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. |
| 17. | And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men." |
| 18. | And immediately they left their nets and followed him. |
| 19. | And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. |
| 20. | And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb'edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him. |
| 21. | And they went into Caper'na-um; and immediately on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. |
| 22. | And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. |
| 23. | And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; |
| 24. | and he cried out, "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." |
| 25. | But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" |
| 26. | And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. |
| 27. | And 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." |
| 28. | And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. |
| 29. | And immediately he left the synagogue, and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. |
| 30. | Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him of her. |
| 31. | And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her; and she served them. |
| 32. | That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. |
| 33. | And the whole city was gathered together about the door. |
| 34. | And 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. |
| 35. | And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed. |
| 36. | And Simon and those who were with him pursued him, |
| 37. | and they found him and said to him, "Every one is searching for you." |
| 38. | And 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." |
| 39. | And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. |
| 40. | And a leper came to him beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." |
| 41. | Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I will; be clean." |
| 42. | And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. |
| 43. | And he sternly charged him, and sent him away at once, |
| 44. | and said to him, "See that you say nothing to any one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people." |
| 45. | But 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 the country; and people came to him from every quarter. |
