Now John was dressed in camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers and wild honey.

Now in those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.

Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

and saying, The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn nigh; repent and believe in the glad tidings.

Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out [terribly from the depths of his throat],

Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Now as soon as they left the synagogue, they entered Simon and Andrew's house, with James and John.

Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever; and straightway they tell him of her:

Now when evening came, after the sun had set [and the Sabbath Day had ended, in a steady stream] they were bringing to Him all who were sick and those who were under the power of demons,

And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

Now in the morning, a long while before daylight, he rose and went out to a solitary place, and there he prayed.

Now a leper came to him and fell to his knees, asking for help. "If you are willing, you can make me clean," he said.

and saith unto him - Mind! unto no one, say aught, - but withdraw, thyself, show unto the priest, and offer for thy cleansing what things Moses enjoined, for a witness unto them.

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Now after some days, when he returned to Capernaum, the news spread that he was at home.

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

And four men came to him with one on a bed who had no power of moving.

And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

But some of the scribes were sitting there debating in their hearts [the implication of what He had said],

Why does this man say such things? he has no respect for God: from whom does forgiveness come but from God only?

At once, Jesus knew in his spirit what they were saying to themselves. "Why are you arguing about such things among yourselves?" he asked them.

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

Now Levi was at table in his own house, and he had many taxgatherers and sinners as guests along with Jesus and his disciples ??for there were many of them among his followers.

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting [as a ritual]; and they came and asked Jesus, “Why are John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fasting, but Your disciples are not doing so?”

No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.

And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Now it happened that he was passing through the cornfields on the sabbath, and as the disciples made their way through they began to pull the ears of corn.

And he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did, when he had need and was without food, he, and those who were with him?

He went into the house of God (Abiathar was high priest then) and ate the loaves of the Presence which no one except the priests is allowed to eat, and also shared them with his followers."

Now He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a paralyzed hand.

And he said to them, "Is it allowable to do people good on the Sabbath, or to do them harm? To save life or kill?" But they made no answer.

But no sooner had the Pharisees left the synagogue than they held a consultation with the Herodians against Jesus, to devise some means of destroying Him.

Now Jesus went up the mountain and called for those he wanted, and they came to him.

And He went into a house. But again the crowd assembled, so that there was no opportunity for them even to snatch a meal.

and if Satan has revolted against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand. Nay, he meets his end!

No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

but whosoever shall speak injuriously against the Holy Spirit, to eternity has no forgiveness; but lies under the guilt of an everlasting sin;

Now a crowd was sitting round Him; so they tell Him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, inquiring for you."

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

in order that seeing they may see, and not know; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest they may turn, and their sins may he forgiven unto them.

And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

they who receiv'd seed by the wayside, are those in whom the word is sown, who no sooner have heard it, but satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

And the cares of this life, and the deceits of wealth, and the desire for other things coming in, put a stop to the growth of the word, and it gives no fruit.

For no one hides anything except for the purpose of sometime bringing it to light again, and people keep things secret only to reveal them some day.

And consider, said he, how you hear; for in proportion as you weigh what is communicated to you, new light shall be given:

and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how.

But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And He was in the stern, sleeping on a pillow: and they awaken Him, and say to Him; Teacher, is there no care to thee that we perish?

And He got up and [sternly] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still (muzzled)!” And the wind died down [as if it had grown weary] and there was [at once] a great calm [a perfect peacefulness].

And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

and he had no sooner stepped out of the boat, than a man out of the tombs came to meet him, a man with an unclean spirit,

Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been rent asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: and no man had strength to tame him.

No one was able to tame him: and all the time, night and day, he was among the tombs in the mountains, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.

Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs ran away, they reported what had happened in the city and countryside. So the people went to see what had happened.

And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

So Jesus went away with him. Now a large crowd followed him; they pressed round him.

Now a woman who for twelve years had suffered from haemorrhage,

and had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent everything she had and had found no advantage from it, but had rather got worse,

And immediately her fountain of blood was dried up, and she knew in her body that she was cured from the scourge.

Jesus knew at once that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"

But the woman became afraid and trembled with fear, for she knew what had happened to her [i.e., the healing], so she came and fell down in front of Jesus and told Him the whole truth.

But Jesus, giving no attention to their words, said to the ruler of the Synagogue, Have no fear, only have faith.

And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.

And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.

Now Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

But Jesus said to them, "There is no Prophet without honour except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own home."

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

And He was amazed at their unbelief.

Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Now having called the twelve, he sent them out by two and two, giving them power to exorcize spirits:

And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

Now King Herod heard this, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him."

Now this Herod had sent and arrested John, and bound him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.

For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful [under Mosaic Law] for you to have your brother’s wife.”

Now [because of this] Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but had not been able to.

For Herod was afraid of John, [because he] knew him [to be] a righteous and holy man and protected him. And [when he] listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and [yet] he listened to him gladly.

Now an opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee.

nay, he ratified his promise with an oath, "I will give you whatever you require, said he, tho' it be even the half of my kingdom."

And she rushed back to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter!”

And the king was very sad; but because of his oaths, and those who were with him at table, he would not say 'No' to her.

Now the apostles gathered to meet Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

So when Jesus landed, He saw a vast multitude; and His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep which have no shepherd, and He proceeded to teach them many things.

And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:

He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

Now when evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on the land.

but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost and shrieked aloud ??50 for they all saw him and were terrified. Then he spoke to them at once; "Courage," he said, "it is I, have no fear."

for they all saw Him and were terrified. He, however, immediately spoke to them. "There is no danger," He said; "it is I; be not alarmed."

And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,