The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ.

Now about that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Immediately afterwards the Spirit drove Jesus out into the Wilderness;

After John had been committed to prison, Jesus went to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God--

As Jesus was going along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the Sea, for they were fishermen.

"Come and follow me," Jesus said, "and I will set you to fish for men."

Jesus at once called them, and they left their father Zebediah in the boat with the crew, and went after him.

And they walked into Capernaum. On the next Sabbath Jesus went into the Synagogue and began to teach.

"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"

But Jesus rebuked the spirit: "Be silent! Come out from him."

And the fame of Jesus spread at once in all directions, through the whole neighborhood of Galilee.

Now Simon's mother-in-law was lying ill with fever, and they at once told Jesus about her.

Jesus went up to her and, grasping her hand, raised her up; the fever left her, and she began to wait upon them.

In the evening, after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were ill or possessed by demons;

Jesus cured many who were ill with various diseases, and drove out many demons, and would not permit them to speak, because they knew him to be the Christ.

In the morning, long before daylight, Jesus rose and went out, and, going to a lonely spot, there began to pray.

But Jesus said to them: "Let us go somewhere else, into the country towns near, that I may make my proclamation in them also; for that was why I came."

One day a leper came to Jesus and, falling on his knees, begged him for help. "If only you are willing," he said, "you are able to make me clean."

Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying as he did so: "I am willing; become clean."

And then Jesus, after sternly warning him, immediately sent him away, and said to him:

The man, however, went away, and began to speak about it publicly, and to spread the story so widely, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, but stayed outside in lonely places; and people came to him from every direction.

Some days later, when Jesus came back to Capernaum, the news spread that he was in a house there;

Being, however, unable to get him near to Jesus, owing to the crowd, they removed the roofing below which Jesus was; and, when they had made an opening, they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man: "Child, your sins are forgiven."

Jesus, at once intuitively aware that they wee debating with themselves in this way, said to them: "Why are you debating in your minds about this?

Jesus went out again to the Sea; and all the people came to him, and he taught them.

And later on he was in his house at table, and a number of tax-gatherers and outcasts took their places at table with Jesus and his disciples; for many of them were following him.

Hearing this, Jesus said: "It is not those who are in health that need a doctor, but those who are ill. I did not come to call the religious, but the outcast."

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were keeping a fast, and people came and asked Jesus: "Why is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, while yours do not?"

Jesus answered: "Can the bridegroom's friends fast, while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.

One Sabbath, as Jesus was walking through the cornfields, his disciples began to pick the ears of wheat as they went along.

"Have you never read," answered Jesus, "what David did when he was in want and hungry, he and his companions--

Then Jesus added: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath;

On another occasion Jesus went in to a Synagogue, where they was a man whose hand was withered.

And they watched Jesus closely, to see if he would cure the man on the Sabbath, so that they might have a charge to bring against him.

"Stand out in the middle," Jesus said to the man with the withered hand;

As they remained silent, Jesus looked round at them in anger, grieving at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched it out; and his hand had become sound.

Immediately on leaving the Synagogue, the Pharisees and the Herodians united in laying a plot against Jesus, to put him to death.

Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the Sea, followed by a great number of people from Galilee.

So Jesus told his disciples to keep a small boat close by, for fear the crowd should crush him.

And Jesus made his way up the hill, and called those whom he wished; and they went to him.

So he appointed the Twelve--Peter (which was the name that Jesus gave to Simon),

Jesus went into a house; and again a crowd collected, so that they were not able even to eat their food.

So Jesus called them to him, and answered them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?

There was a crowd sitting round Jesus, and some of them said to him: "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you."

Jesus again began to teach by the Sea; and, as an immense crowd was gathering round him, he got into a boat, and sat in it on the Sea, while all the people were on the shore at the water's edge.

And Jesus said: "Let any one who has ears to hear with hear."

And Jesus said to them: "Is a lamp brought to be put under the corn-measure or under the couch, instead of being put on the lampstand?

Take care what you listen to," said Jesus. "The measure you mete will be meted out to you, and more will be added for you.

Jesus also said: "This is what the Kingdom of God is like-- like a man who has scattered seed on the ground,

Jesus also said: "To what can we liken the Kingdom of God?

With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his Message, as far as they were able to receive it;

In the evening of the same day, Jesus said to them: "Let us go across."

Jesus was in the stern asleep upon the cushion; and the disciples roused him and cried: "Teacher! is it nothing to you that we are lost?"

Jesus rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: "Hush! Be still!" Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed.

And, as soon as Jesus had got out of the boat, he met a man coming out of the tombs, who was under the power of a foul spirit,

Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed to the ground before him,

Shrieking out in a loud voice: "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? For God's sake do not torment me!"

For Jesus had said: "Come out from the man, you foul spirit."

and he begged Jesus again and again not to send them away out of that country.

And the spirits begged Jesus: "Send us into the pigs, that we may take possession of them."

Jesus gave them leave. They came out, and entered into the pigs; and the drove--about two thousand in number--rushed down the steep slope into the Sea and were drowned in the Sea.

When they came to Jesus, they found the possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind--the very man who had had the 'Legion' in him--and they were awe-struck.

Upon which they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the possessed man begged him to let him stay with him.

But Jesus refused. "Go back to your home, to your own people," he said, "and tell them of all that the Lord has done for you, and how he took pity on you."

So the man went, and began to proclaim in the district of the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and every one was amazed.

By the time Jesus had re-crossed in the boat to the opposite shore, a great number of people had gathered to meet him, and were standing by the Sea.

And one of the Presidents of the Synagogue, whose name was Jaeirus, came and, as soon as he saw Jesus, threw himself at his feet with repeated entreaties.

So Jesus went with him. A great number of People followed Jesus, and kept pressing round him.

Heard about Jesus, came behind in the crowd, and touched his cloak.

Jesus at once became aware of the power that had gone out from him, and, turning round in the crowd, he said: "Who touched my clothes?"

But Jesus looked about to see who had done it.

But Jesus, overhearing what they were saying, said to the President of the Synagogue: "Do not be afraid; only have faith."

Presently they reached the President's house, where Jesus saw a scene of confusion--people weeping and wailing incessantly.

Taking her hand, Jesus said to her: "Taleitha, koum!"--which means 'little girl, I am speaking to you--Rise!'

But Jesus repeatedly cautioned them not to let any one know of it, and told them to give her something to eat.

On leaving that place, Jesus, followed by his disciples, went to his own part of the country.

On which Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relations, and in his own home."

And he wondered at the want of faith shown by the people. Jesus went round the villages, one after another, teaching.

Now King Herod heard of Jesus; for his name had become well known. People were saying--"John the Baptizer must have risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are active in him."

When the Apostles came back to Jesus, they told him all that they had done and all that they had taught.

On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were 'like sheep without a shepherd'; and he began to teach them many things.

But Jesus answered: "It is for you to give them something to eat." "Are we to go and buy twenty pounds' worth of bread," they asked, "to give them to eat?"

Jesus directed them to make all the people take their seats on the green grass, in parties;

Taking the five loaves and the two fishes, Jesus looked up to Heaven, and said the blessing; he broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples for them to serve out to the people, and he divided the two fishes also among them all.

Immediately afterwards Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, in the direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd.

When evening fell, the boat was out in the middle of the Sea, and Jesus on the shore alone.

Seeing them laboring at the oars--for the wind was against them--about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them.

For all of them saw him, and were terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to them. "Courage!" he said, "it is I; do not be afraid!"

But they had no sooner left her than the people, recognizing Jesus,

One day the Pharisees and some of the Teachers of the Law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus.

So the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law asked Jesus this question--"How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?"

Then Jesus called the people to him again, and said: "Listen to me, all of you, and mark my words.

When Jesus went indoors, away from the crowd, his disciples began questioning him about this saying.

"What, do even you understand so little?" exclaimed Jesus. "Do not you see that there is nothing external to a man, which by going into a man, can 'defile' him,

Because it does not pass into his heart, but into his stomach, and is afterwards got rid of?--in saying this Jesus pronounced all food 'clean.'

On leaving that place, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a house, and did not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape notice.

"Let the children be satisfied first," answered Jesus. "For it is not fair to take the children's food, and throw it to dogs."

On returning from the district of Tyre, Jesus went, by way of Sidon, to the Sea of Galilee, across the district of the Ten Towns.