He said, "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!"

Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

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

Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer.

Then they went to Capernaum. When the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

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.

In the wilderness John the baptizer began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

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

I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

They left their nets immediately and followed him.

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, "Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way,

And just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).

Going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother in their boat mending nets.

The Spirit immediately drove him into the wilderness.

The people there were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, not like the experts in the law.

But Jesus rebuked him: "Silence! Come out of him!"

Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people."

So the news about him spread quickly throughout all the region around Galilee.

After throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him.

He came and raised her up by gently taking her hand. Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.

Simon's mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so they spoke to Jesus at once about her.

So he healed many who were sick with various diseases and drove out many demons. But he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Simon and his companions searched for him.

The whole town gathered by the door.

The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean.

He replied, "Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do."

He told him, "See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."

So he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

When they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you."

Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning.

But as the man went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still they kept coming to him from everywhere.

And a voice came from heaven: "You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight."

"Leave us alone, Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are -- the Holy One of God!"

the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.'"

Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.

He was in the wilderness forty days, enduring temptations from Satan. He was with wild animals, and angels were ministering to his needs.

People from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem were going out to him, and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

John wore a garment made of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing. Be clean!"

They were all amazed so that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him."

He proclaimed, "One more powerful than I am is coming after me; I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his sandals.