The Forerunner of the Servant

Matt. 3:1–11; Luke 3:3–16; John 1:19–34

1 The abeginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, bthe Son of God. 2 As it is written in 1the Prophets:

c“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.”

3 “The dvoice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.’ ”

4 eJohn came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance 2for the remission of sins. 5 fThen all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was gclothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, h“There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 iI indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you jwith the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of the Servant

Matt. 3:13–17; Luke 3:21–23

9 kIt came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 lAnd immediately, coming up 3from the water, He saw the heavens 4parting and the Spirit mdescending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, n“You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of the Servant

Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13

12 oImmediately the Spirit 5drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; pand the angels ministered to Him.

The Work of the Servant

Matt. 4:12–17; Luke 4:14, 15

14 qNow after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, rpreaching the gospel 6of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, s “The time is fulfilled, and tthe kingdom of God 7is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

The First Disciples are Called

Matt. 4:18–22

16 uAnd as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become vfishers of men.” 18 wThey immediately left their nets and followed Him.

19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Demons are Cast Out

Luke 4:31–37

21 xThen they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the ysynagogue and taught. 22 zAnd they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an aunclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, “Let us alone! bWhat have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I cknow who You are—the dHoly One of God!”

25 But Jesus erebuked him, saying, 8 “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 And when the unclean spirit fhad convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, 9“What is this? What new 1doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His gfame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Peter’s Mother-in-Law is Healed

Matt. 8:14, 15; Luke 4:38, 39

29 hNow as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Many Healings

Matt. 8:16, 17; 4:23; Luke 4:40–44

32 iAt evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and jcast out many demons; and He kdid not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

35 Now lin the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a 2solitary place; and there He mprayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, n“Everyone ois looking for You.”

38 But He said to them, p“Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because qfor this purpose I have come forth.”

39 rAnd He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and scasting out demons.

A Leper is Cleansed

Matt. 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16

40 tNow a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

41 Then Jesus, moved with ucompassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 As soon as He had spoken, vimmediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things wwhich Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

45 xHowever, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; yand they came to Him from every direction.

A Paralytic is Healed

Matt. 9:1–8; Luke 5:17–26

2 And again aHe entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 1Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a bparalytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”

6 And some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? cWho can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, “Why do you reason about these things in your hearts? 9 dWhich is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has 2power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the paralytic, 11 “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 12 Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and eglorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Call of Matthew

Matt. 9:9–13; Luke 5:27–32

13 fThen He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them. 14 gAs He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, h “Follow Me.” So he arose and ifollowed Him.

15 jNow it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes 3and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 When Jesus heard it, He said to them, k “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, 4to repentance.”

Parable of Cloth and Wineskins

Matt. 9:14–17; Luke 5:33–39

18 lThe disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the 5friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be mtaken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”

Controversy Over Sabbath-Work

Matt. 12:1–8; Luke 6:1–5

23 nNow it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began oto pluck the heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is pnot lawful on the Sabbath?”

25 But He said to them, “Have you never read qwhat David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: 26 how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, rwhich is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”

27 And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sSabbath. 28 Therefore tthe Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”