Mark 1:1–32

The Proclamation of John the Baptist

¹The beginning of the good news^a of Jesus Christ.^b*

²As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,^c

“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,^d

who will prepare your way,^*

³the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

make his paths straight,’ ”^*

⁴so John the baptizer appeared^e in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{* 5}And the whole Judean region and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were baptized by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins. ⁶Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.^{* 7}He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals.^{* 8}I have baptized you with^f water, but he will baptize you with^g the Holy Spirit.”^*

The Baptism of Jesus

⁹In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.^{* 10}And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove upon him.^{* 11}And a voice came from the heavens, “You are my Son, the Beloved;^h with you I am well pleased.”^*

The Testing of Jesus

¹²And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. ¹³He was in the wilderness forty days, tested by Satan, and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels waited on him.

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry

¹⁴Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good newsⁱ of^j God^{* 15}and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;^k repent, and believe in the good news.”^l*

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

¹⁶As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. ¹⁷And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” ¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed him.^{* 19}As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

The Man with an Unclean Spirit

²¹They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.^{* 22}They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.^{* 23}Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, ²⁴and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”^{* 25}But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!”^{* 26}And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He^m commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.”^{* 28}At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House

²⁹As soon as theyⁿ left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.^{* 30}Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. ³¹He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

³²That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed by demons.^*