35 ^cAnd rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and ^dthere he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, ^e“Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for ^fthat is why I came out.” 39 ^gAnd ^hhe went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

40 ⁱAnd a leper¹ came to him, imploring him, and ^jkneeling said to him, ^k“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 ^lJesus² sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, ^m“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, ⁿshow yourself to the priest and ^ooffer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, ^pfor a proof to them.” 45 ^qBut he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter ^ra town, but was out in ^rdesolate places, and ^speople were coming to him from every quarter.