As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet, "See, I am sending My messenger before Thee, Who will prepare Thy way";

So John the Baptizer came, and was in the Desert proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for forgiveness of sins.

As for John, his garment was of camel's hair, and he wore a loincloth of leather; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

and immediately on His coming up out of the water He saw an opening in the sky, and the Spirit like a dove coming down to Him;

Then, after John had been thrown into prison, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming God's Good News.

One day, passing along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, throwing their nets in the Lake; for they were fisherman.

Going on a little further He saw James the son of Zabdi and his brother John: they also were in the boat mending the nets, and He immediately called them.

So they came to Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath He went to the synagogue and began to teach.

"What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--God's Holy One."

So the foul spirit, after throwing the man into convulsions, came out of him with a loud cry.

And all were amazed and awe-struck, so they began to ask one another, "What does this mean? Here is a new sort of teaching--and a tone of authority! And even to foul spirits he issues orders and they obey him!"

Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill in bed with a fever, and without delay they informed Him about her.

So He went to her, and taking her hand He raised her to her feet: the fever left her, and she began to wait upon them.

But the man, when he went out, began to tell every one and to publish the matter abroad, so that it was no longer possible for Jesus to go openly into any town; but He had to remain outside in unfrequented places, where people came to Him from all parts.

Which is easier?--to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your mat, and walk?'

"To you I say, 'Rise, take up your mat and go home.'"

The man rose, and immediately under the eyes of all took up his mat and went out, so that they were all filled with astonishment, gave the glory to God, and said, "We never saw anything like this."

And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." So he rose and followed Him.

When He was sitting at table in Levi's house, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were at table with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many such who habitually followed Him.

But when the Scribes of the Pharisee sect saw Him eating with the sinners and the tax-gatherers, they said to His disciples, "He is eating and drinking with the tax-gatherers and sinners!"

(Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.)

"Can a wedding party fast while the bridegroom is among them?" replied Jesus. "So long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is impossible.

So the Pharisees said to Him, "Look! why are they doing what on the Sabbath is unlawful?"

so that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

They closely watched Him to see whether He would cure him on the Sabbath--so as to have a charge to bring against Him.

So He gave directions to His disciples to keep a small boat in constant attendance on Him because of the throng--to prevent their crushing Him.

For He had cured many of the people, so that all who had any ailments pressed upon Him, to touch Him.

And the foul spirits, whenever they saw Him, threw themselves down at His feet, screaming out: "You are the Son of God."

But He many a time checked them, forbidding them to say who He was.

And He went into a house. But again the crowd assembled, so that there was no opportunity for them even to snatch a meal.

So He called them to Him, and using figurative language He appealed to them, saying, "How is it possible for Satan to expel Satan?

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

Nay, no one can go into a strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

Now a crowd was sitting round Him; so they tell Him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, inquiring for you."

"Listen: the sower goes out to sow.

Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop.

that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"

He went on to say, "Is the lamp brought in in order to be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not rather in order that it may be placed on the lampstand?

yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."

So they got away from the crowd, and took Him--as He was--in the boat; and other boats accompanied Him.

But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.

But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"

So He roused Himself and rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" The wind sank, and a perfect calm set in.

"Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"

Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."

So they arrived at the opposite shore of the Lake, in the country of the Gerasenes.

And when he saw Jesus in the distance, he ran and threw himself at His feet,

crying out in a loud voice, "What hast Thou to do with me, Jesus, Son of God Most High? In God's name I implore Thee not to torment me."

So they besought Jesus. "Send us to the swine," they said, "so that we may enter into them."

The swineherds fled, and spread the news in town and country. So the people came to see what it was that had happened;

So the man departed, and related publicly everywhere in the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and all were astonished.

"You see the multitude pressing you on all sides," His disciples exclaimed, "and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'"

But He continued looking about to see the person who had done this,

While He is yet speaking, men come from the house to the Warden, and say, "Your daughter is dead: why trouble the Rabbi further?"

So they come to the Warden's house. Here He gazes on a scene of uproar, with people weeping aloud and wailing.

To this their reply is a scornful laugh. He, however, puts them all out, takes the child's father and mother and those He has brought with Him, and enters the room where the child lies.

Then, taking her by the hand, He says to her, "Talitha, koum;" that is to say, "Little girl, I command you to wake!"

Is not this the carpenter, Mary's son, the brother of James and Joses, Jude and Simon? And do not his sisters live here among us?" So they turned angrily away.

He wondered at their unbelief. So He went round the adjacent villages, teaching.

So they set out, and preached in order that men might repent.

For Herod himself had sent and had had John arrested and had kept him in prison in chains, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.

For John had repeatedly told Herod, "You have no right to be living with your brother's wife."

at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, "Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you."

He at once sent a soldier of his guard with orders to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in the prison,

When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

Then He said to them, "Come away, all of you, to a quiet place, and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going, so that they had no time even for meals.

But the people saw them going, and many knew them; and coming by land they ran together there from all the neighbouring towns, and arrived before them.

So when Jesus landed, He saw a vast multitude; and His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep which have no shepherd, and He proceeded to teach them many things.

By this time it was late; so His disciples came to Him, and said, "This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late:

"How many loaves have you?" He inquired; "go and see." So they found out, and said, "Five; and a couple of fish."

So He directed them to make all sit down in companies on the green grass.

But when He saw them distressed with rowing (for the wind was against them)

They saw Him walking on the water, and thinking that it was a spirit they cried out;

for they all saw Him and were terrified. He, however, immediately spoke to them. "There is no danger," He said; "it is I; be not alarmed."

They had noticed that some of His disciples were eating their food with 'unclean' (that is to say, unwashed)

So the Pharisees and Scribes put the question to Him: "Why do your disciples transgress the traditions of the Elders, and eat their food with unclean hands?"

"You neglect God's Commandment: you hold fast to men's traditions."

"Praiseworthy indeed!" He added, "to set at nought God's Commandment in order to observe your own traditions!

But *you* say, 'If a man says to his father or mother, It is a Korban (that is, a thing devoted to God)

And so you no longer allow him to do anything for his father or mother,

thus nullifying God's precept by your tradition which you have handed down. And many things of that kind you do."

"Have *you* also so little understanding?" He replied; "do you not understand that anything whatever that enters a man from outside cannot make him unclean,

For from within, out of men's hearts, their evil purposes proceed--fornication, theft, murder, adultery,

"Let the children first eat all they want," He said; "it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

"True, Sir," she replied, "and yet the dogs under the table eat the children's scraps."

So she went home, and found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

So Jesus taking him aside, apart from the crowd, put His fingers into his ears, and spat, and moistened his tongue;

And the man's ears were opened, and his tongue became untied, and he began to speak perfectly.

About that time there was again an immense crowd, and they found themselves with nothing to eat. So He called His disciples to Him.

So He passed the word to the people to sit down on the ground. Then taking the seven loaves He blessed them, and broke them into portions and proceeded to give them to His disciples for them to distribute, and they distributed them to the people.

So the people ate an abundant meal; and what remained over they picked up and carried away--seven hampers of broken pieces.

Heaving a deep and troubled sigh, He said, "Why do the men of to-day ask for a sign? In solemn truth I tell you that no sign will be given to the men of to-day."

So He left them, went on board again, and came away to the other side.

and when He admonished them, "See to it, be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod,"

He perceived what they were saying, and He said to them, "What is this discussion of yours about having no bread? Do you not yet see and understand? Are your minds so dull of comprehension?

You have eyes! can you not see? You have ears! can you not hear? and have you no memory?

So He took the blind man by the arm and brought him out of the village, and spitting into his eyes He put His hands on him and asked him, "Can you see anything?"

He looked up and said, "I can see the people: I see them like trees--only walking."

Then for the second time He put His hands on the man's eyes, and the man, looking steadily, recovered his sight and saw everything distinctly.

So He sent him home, and added, "Do not even go into the village."