Mark 1:35–45

³⁵Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where he prayed. ³⁶Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. ³⁷When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you!”

³⁸Jesus answered, “We should go to other towns around here so I can preach there too. That is the reason I came.” ³⁹So he went everywhere in Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and forcing out demons.

Jesus Heals a Sick Man

⁴⁰A man with a skin disease came to Jesus. He fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “You can heal me if you will.”

⁴¹Jesus felt sorry for the man, so he reached out his hand and touched him and said, “I will. Be healed!” ⁴²Immediately the disease left the man, and he was healed.

⁴³Jesus told the man to go away at once, but he warned him strongly, ⁴⁴“Don’t tell anyone about this. But go and show yourself to the priest. And offer the gift Moses commanded for people who are made well. ⁿ This will show the people what I have done.” ⁴⁵The man left there, but he began to tell everyone that Jesus had healed him, and so he spread the news about Jesus. As a result, Jesus could not enter a town if people saw him. He stayed in places where nobody lived, but people came to him from everywhere.