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

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

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

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."

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

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.

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.

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.

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

So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by the door, and he preached the word to them.

Now some of the experts in the law were sitting there, turning these things over in their minds:

Now immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts, he said to them, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?

But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," -- he said to the paralytic --

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. So they came to Jesus and said, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse.

And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be destroyed. Instead new wine is poured into new wineskins."

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

Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat.

But no one is able to enter a strong man's house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house.

But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.

He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped.

He lived among the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.

For his hands and feet had often been bound with chains and shackles, but he had torn the chains apart and broken the shackles in pieces. No one was strong enough to subdue him.

Now the herdsmen ran off and spread the news in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

Now a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years.

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

But Jesus, paying no attention to what was said, told the synagogue ruler, "Do not be afraid; just believe."

He strictly ordered that no one should know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

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

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff -- no bread, no bag, no money in their belts --

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."

because Herod stood in awe of John and protected him, since he knew that John was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him, he was thoroughly baffled, and yet he liked to listen to John.

He said to them, "Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while" (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat).

Now there were five thousand men who ate the bread.

Now the Pharisees and some of the experts in the law who came from Jerusalem gathered around him.

Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition."

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

Now when Jesus had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable.

After Jesus left there, he went to the region of Tyre. When he went into a house, he did not want anyone to know, but he was not able to escape notice.

Sighing deeply in his spirit he said, "Why does this generation look for a sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to this generation."

Now they had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.

So they began to discuss with one another about having no bread.

When he learned of this, Jesus said to them, "Why are you arguing about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened?

(For they were afraid, and he did not know what to say.)

Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more except Jesus.

Now when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly gathering, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "Mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."

They went out from there and passed through Galilee. But Jesus did not want anyone to know,

But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, because no one who does a miracle in my name will be able soon afterward to say anything bad about me.

and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."

Now people were bringing little children to him for him to touch, but the disciples scolded those who brought them.

Now as Jesus was starting out on his way, someone ran up to him, fell on his knees, and said, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"

Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the gospel

But Jesus said to them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I experience?"

Now when the other ten heard this, they became angry with James and John.

Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them.

Now as they approached Jerusalem, near Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples

Now the next day, as they went out from Bethany, he was hungry.

He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.

So they answered Jesus, "We don't know." Then Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things."

Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable against them. So they left him and went away.

When they came they said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone's favor, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him,

"Teacher, Moses wrote for us: 'If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.'

There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children.

Jesus said to them, "Aren't you deceived for this reason, because you don't know the scriptures or the power of God?

Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

The second is: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

The expert in the law said to him, "That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.

When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Now as Jesus was going out of the temple courts, one of his disciples said to him, "Teacher, look at these tremendous stones and buildings!"

Jesus began to say to them, "Watch out that no one misleads you.

For in those days there will be suffering unlike anything that has happened from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, or ever will happen.

And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved. But because of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut them short.

"Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.

So also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, right at the door.

"But as for that day or hour no one knows it -- neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son -- except the Father.

Watch out! Stay alert! For you do not know when the time will come.

Stay alert, then, because you do not know when the owner of the house will return -- whether during evening, at midnight, when the rooster crows, or at dawn --

Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, reclining at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of costly aromatic oil from pure nard. After breaking open the jar, she poured it on his head.

Now on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?"

I tell you the truth, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

When he came again he found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what to tell him.

(Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him and lead him away under guard.")

Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?"

Now while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest's slave girls came by.

Then he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, "I do not know this man you are talking about!"

But Jesus made no further reply, so that Pilate was amazed.

(For he knew that the chief priests had handed him over because of envy.)

Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!" Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him.

Now when it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

Now when the centurion, who stood in front of him, saw how he died, he said, "Truly this man was God's Son!"

Now when evening had already come, since it was the day of preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath),

These signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new languages;