As it is written and forever remains in the [writings of the] prophet Isaiah:

“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way—

John came, and gave baptism in the waste land, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed.

And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a [wide] leather band around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

And he was preaching, saying, “After me comes He who is mightier [more powerful, more noble] than I, and I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the straps of His sandals [even as His slave].

And it happened at that time that Jesus went from Nazareth, in Galilee [i.e., south to Judea], where He was immersed by John in the Jordan River.

and a voice came out of heaven saying: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased and delighted!”

and he was there in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by the Adversary, and he was with the beasts, and the messengers were ministering to him.

And saying, The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near: let your hearts be turned from sin and have faith in the good news.

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.

(for they were fishers) and Jesus said to them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

As soon as they were come to Capernaum, he entred into the synagogue, and it being the sabbath, instructed them.

And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

saying, “What business do You have with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold your peace, and come out of him.

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.

The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

where Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, who presently acquainted Jesus with it.

And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

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.

Very early in the morning, [even] before daylight, Jesus woke up, left Simon's house [verse 29] and went out to a deserted place where He prayed.

And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

and they found him, and say unto him, All are seeking thee.

And a leper came to Him, begging Him and falling on his knees before Him, saying, “If You are willing, You are able to make me clean.”

saying to him, “See that you tell no one anything [about this]; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your purification what Moses commanded, as proof to them [that you are really healed].”

And he, having gone forth, began to proclaim much, and to spread abroad the thing, so that no more he was able openly to enter into the city, but he was without in desert places, and they were coming unto him from every quarter.

After Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, it became known that He was [back] at home [i.e., possibly at the house of Peter and Andrew, where He was staying. See 1:29].

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 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.

And Jesus seeing their faith saith unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins are forgiven.

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?

But to let you see that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"??e said to the paralytic??11 "I bid you rise, take up your cot, and go home."

“I say to you, get up, pick up your mat and go home.”

And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

And when he went by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, seated at the place where taxes were taken, and he said to him, Come with me. And he got up, and went with him.

And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

And the scribes and Pharisees, seeing Him eating with the publicans and sinners, were saying to His disciples, Why does He eat and drink with publicans and sinners?

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.

And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting: and they come and say unto him, Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?

And Jesus said to them, 'Are the sons of the bride-chamber able, while the bridegroom is with them, to fast? so long time as they have the bridegroom with them they are not able to fast;

But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast.

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.

No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins."

And it came about that on the Sabbath day he was going through the grain-fields; and while they were walking, his disciples took the heads of grain.

The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

Again Jesus went into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered.

and they were watching him, whether on the sabbaths he will heal him, that they might accuse him.

And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

After looking around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness and arrogance of their hearts, He told the man, “Hold out your hand.” And he held it out, and his hand was [completely] restored.

and the Pharisees having gone forth, immediately, with the Herodians, were taking counsel against him how they might destroy him.

But Jesus retired with his disciples towards the sea: where a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,

For he had healed many, so that all those who {were suffering from diseases} pressed about him in order that they could touch him.

and the unclean spirits, when they were seeing him, were falling down before him, and were crying, saying -- 'Thou art the Son of God;'

And He appointed twelve [disciples], so that they would be with Him [for instruction] and so that He could send them out to preach [the gospel as apostles—that is, as His special messengers, personally chosen representatives],

with power to drive out the demons. These were the twelve he appointed:

He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter),

James the son of Zebedaeus and John the brother of James (he surnamed them Boanerges, or "Sons of thunder"),

And come together again doth a multitude, so that they are not able even to eat bread;

And [when] {his family} heard [this], they went out to restrain him, for they were saying, "He has lost his mind!"

and the scribes who are from Jerusalem having come down, said -- 'He hath Beelzeboul,' and -- 'By the ruler of the demons he doth cast out the demons.'

So He called them to Himself and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan?

For if civil war breaks out in a kingdom, nothing can make that kingdom last;

Or if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot continue:

So if Satan has risen in arms and has made war upon himself, stand he cannot, but meets his end.

but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit and His power [by attributing the miracles done by Me to Satan] never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin [a sin which is unforgivable in this present age as well as in the age to come]”—

because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

And his mother and brothers came and were outside, and sent for him, requesting to see him.

A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Look! Your mother and Your brothers are outside asking for You.”

And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

And looking around in a circuit at those that were sitting around him, he says, Behold my mother and my brethren:

"Here are my mother and my brothers. For wherever there is one who has been obedient to God, there is my brother--my sister--and my mother."

And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.

And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said to them,

give your attention to what I say, a sower went out to sow: as he sowed,

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

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 came up, they were scorched. Since they didn't have any roots, they dried up.

But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold."

And he said to them, Whoever has ears, let him give ear.

And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

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:

tho' they see, they will not perceive, and tho' they hear they will not understand: as if they were afraid of parting with their vices, in order to be pardoned.

And he said to them, If you are not clear about this story, how will you be clear about the others?

"What the Sower sows is the Word. There are those 'on the wayside' where the Word is sown.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

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 these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been kept secret, but that it would come to light [that is, things are hidden only temporarily, until the appropriate time comes for them to be known].

If any man has ears, let him give ear.

Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides.