﻿Mark.
Chapter 1.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way. 
A voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” 
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 
The whole region of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and ate locusts and wild honey. 
He proclaimed, “After me comes one mightier than I. I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. 
I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” 
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 
Immediately, as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. 
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.” 
Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 
He was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to him. 
After John was handed over, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God 
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” 
Passing beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon’s brother, casting a net in the sea, for they were fishermen. 
Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 
Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 
Going a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 
Immediately he called them. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired workers and went after him. 
They entered Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he taught in the synagogue. 
They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 
Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue, and he cried out, 
“What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 
Jesus rebuked it, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 
The unclean spirit convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, then came out of him. 
They were all amazed and discussed it among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 
Immediately the news about him spread everywhere throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. 
Immediately after leaving the synagogue, they went into the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 
Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 
He came, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them. 
When evening came, after the sun had set, they brought him all who were ill and those possessed by demons. 
The whole town was gathered at the door. 
He healed many who were ill with various diseases and cast out many demons. He would not let the demons speak, because they knew him. 
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up, went out, and departed to a deserted place. There he prayed. 
Simon and those with him searched for him, 
and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 
He said to them, “Let us go elsewhere, to the nearby towns, so that I may preach there too, for that is why I came out.” 
He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. 
A man with leprosy came to him, pleading with him and kneeling, saying to him, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 
Moved to anger, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I am willing. Be clean!” 
Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 
With a stern warning, he sent him away at once 
and 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, as a testimony to them.” 
But he went out and began to proclaim it widely and spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. He stayed outside in deserted places, and people came to him from everywhere. 
