As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:
“Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way;

And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.

and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

Going on a little farther, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

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

They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”

When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed.

And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

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

and He *said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them.

And Jesus seeing their faith *said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

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

Immediately Jesus, aware in His spirit that they were reasoning that way within themselves, *said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven’; or to say, ‘Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk’?

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

And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

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

And it *happened that He was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many of them, and they were following Him.

And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they *came and *said to Him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”

The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”

how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?”

They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him.

And He *said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent.

After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.

Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!”

When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”

because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

A crowd was sitting around Him, and they *said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.”

Answering them, He *said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?”

Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, “Behold My mother and My brothers!

Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.

And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,

These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;

and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,

And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

And He was saying to them, “A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?

And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.

And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?

It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,

yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it;

Leaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.

And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”

Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

and *implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.”

And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

While He was still speaking, they *came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”

They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He *took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and *entered the room where the child was.

Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded.

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

but to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.”

Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.”

And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.”

But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

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

And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)

When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.

They all ate and were satisfied,

There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.

for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and *said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”

Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished,

and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick, to the place they heard He was.

Wherever He entered villages, or cities, or countryside, they were laying the sick in the market places, and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were being cured.

and had seen that some of His disciples were eating their bread with impure hands, that is, unwashed.

and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they cleanse themselves; and there are many other things which they have received in order to observe, such as the washing of cups and pitchers and copper pots.)

The Pharisees and the scribes *asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with impure hands?”

He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.

For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, is to be put to death’;

but you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother, whatever I have that would help you is Corban (that is to say, given to God),’

you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or his mother;

thus invalidating the word of God by your tradition which you have handed down; and you do many things such as that.”

there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.

And He *said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him,

And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”

And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.

They were utterly astonished, saying, “He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?”

And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces.

About four thousand were there; and He sent them away.

And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?

And He continued by questioning them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter *answered and *said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

And Jesus was saying to them, “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.”

Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.