1 ^aThe beginning of the gospel of Jesus ^bChrist, the ^cSon of God.¹

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,²

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And 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. 6 Now John was clothed with ^fcamel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And 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. 8 I have baptized you ^gwith water, but he will baptize you ^hwith the Holy Spirit.”

9 ⁱIn 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 ^jthe heavens being ^ktorn open and the Spirit descending ^lon him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, ^m“You are my ⁿbeloved Son;^{4 o}with you I am well pleased.”

12 ^pThe Spirit immediately drove him out into the ^qwilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the ^rwild animals, and the ^sangels were ministering to him.

14 ^tNow after John was ^uarrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is ^vat hand;⁵ repent and believe in the gospel.”

16 ^wPassing alongside the ^xSea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, ^y“Follow me, and I will make you become ^zfishers of men.”⁶ 18 And immediately they ^aleft their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

21 ^bAnd they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were ^castonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had ^dauthority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he 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 ^eHoly One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be ^fsilent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, ^gconvulsing him and crying out 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 ^hAnd immediately he⁷ left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And ⁱhe would not permit the demons to speak, ^jbecause they knew him.

35 ^kAnd rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is ^llooking 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 ^mAnd he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.