The Ministry of John the Baptist

Matt. 3:1–12; Mark 1:2–8; John 1:19–31

3 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, aPontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 1while bAnnas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to cJohn the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3 dAnd he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance efor the remission of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:

f“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled

And every mountain and hill brought low;

The crooked places shall be made straight

And the rough ways smooth;

6 And gall flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ”

7 Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, h“Brood 2of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits iworthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore jevery tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

10 So the people asked him, saying, k“What shall we do then?”

11 He answered and said to them, l“He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, mlet him do likewise.”

12 Then ntax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, o“Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”

14 Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

So he said to them, “Do not 3intimidate anyone por accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

15 Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16 John answered, saying to all, q“I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will rbaptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and sgather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

18 And with many other exhortations he preached to the people. 19 tBut Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his 4brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20 also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

The Baptism of Christ

Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; John 1:32–34

21 When all the people were baptized, uit came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. 22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am vwell pleased.”

The Genealogy of Christ Through Mary

Gen. 5:1–32; 11:10–26; Ruth 4:18–22; 1 Chr. 1:1–4, 24–27, 34; 2:1–15; Matt. 1:2–6

23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at wabout thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) xthe son of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathiah, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathiah, the son of Semei, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah, 27 the son of Joannas, the son of Rhesa, the son of yZerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Jose, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattathah, the son of zNathan, athe son of David, 32 bthe son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, cthe son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 dthe son of Cainan, the son of eArphaxad, fthe son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, gthe son of God.

The Temptation of Christ

Matt. 4:1–11; Mark 1:12, 13

4 Then aJesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and bwas led by the Spirit 1into the wilderness, 2 being 2tempted for forty days by the devil. And cin those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.

3 And the devil said to Him, “If You are dthe Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

4 But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, e‘Man shall not live by bread alone, 3but by every word of God.’ ”

5 4Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for fthis has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”

8 And Jesus answered and said to him, 5“Get behind Me, Satan! 6For it is written, g‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”

9 hThen he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. 10 For it is written:

i‘He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you,’

11 and,

j‘In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”

12 And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, k‘You shall not 7tempt the Lord your God.’ ”

13 Now when the devil had ended every 8temptation, he departed from Him luntil an opportune time.

Acceptance Throughout Galilee

Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:14

14 mThen Jesus returned nin the power of the Spirit to oGalilee, and pnews of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He qtaught in their synagogues, rbeing glorified by all.

Rejection at Nazareth

16 So He came to sNazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, tHe went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The uSpirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me 9to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To vset at liberty those who are 1oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is wfulfilled in your hearing.” 22 So all bore witness to Him, and xmarveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, y“Is this not Joseph’s son?”

23 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in zCapernaum, 2do also here in aYour country.’ ” 24 Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no bprophet is accepted in his own country. 25 But I tell you truly, cmany widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; 26 but to none of them was Elijah sent except to 3Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 dAnd many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

28 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were efilled with 4wrath, 29 fand rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. 30 Then gpassing through the midst of them, He went His way.

Demons are Cast Out

Mark 1:21–28

31 Then hHe went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were iastonished at His teaching, jfor His word was with authority. 33 kNow in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. And he cried out with a loud voice, 34 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? lI know who You are—mthe Holy One of God!”

35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 5“Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. 36 Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” 37 And the report about Him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed

Matt. 8:14, 15; Mark 1:29–31

38 nNow He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. But Simon’s wife’s mother was 6sick with a high fever, and they omade request of Him concerning her. 39 So He stood over her and prebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them.

Jesus Ministers Throughout Galilee

Matt. 4:23–25; 8:16, 17; Mark 1:32–39

40 qWhen the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 rAnd demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, s“You are 7the Christ, the Son of God!”

And He, trebuking …