And people from throughout all the regions of Judea and all of Jerusalem went out to John [in the desert]. And he immersed them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

And while walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, Jesus saw Simon [i.e., Peter] and his brother Andrew casting their net in the lake, for they were fishermen.

So, they left their nets immediately and became His followers.

Immediately He called them [to become His followers] and they left their father, Zebedee, and went along with Him.

So, they went to Capernaum [Note: This was a city in Galilee that later became Jesus' headquarters while in Galilee. See verse

They were amazed at His teaching for He taught them as one who had [real] authority, and not as the experts in the law of Moses.

And all the people [in the synagogue] were so amazed they began asking one another, "What is this, some new teaching? And it is spoken with such authority He even orders evil spirits, and they obey him."

And as soon as they left the synagogue, they went into the house of Simon [i.e., Peter] and Andrew, taking James and John with them.

When evening came and the sun had set, they brought to Jesus all those who were sick and those dominated by evil spirits.

and He healed many of those who were sick with various diseases and drove out many evil spirits. But He did not permit the evil spirits to tell people [who He was], because they knew who He was [i.e., the Christ].

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

And when they were unable to get near Jesus, because of the [large] crowd, they removed [a section of] the roof [directly above Him]. [Note: The roof was a flat area, where people retired for rest, prayer, etc., and easily accessible from an outside stairway]. And when they had broken open [a sizable hole], they lowered the cot on which the paralyzed man was lying.

And immediately Jesus perceived in His spirit what they were reasoning in their minds and said to them, "Why are you reasoning like this in your minds?

And when the experts in the law of Moses, being Pharisees [i.e., a strict sect of the Jewish religion], saw that He was eating with tax collectors and worldly people, they said to His disciples, "Why does Jesus eat and drink with tax collectors and worldly people?"

Jesus answered them, "Can the companions of the groom fast while the groom is still with them? As long as they have the groom with them they cannot fast.

But the time will come when the groom will be taken away from them. Then they will fast at that time.

And it happened that Jesus was walking through the grainfields on the Sabbath day and His disciples began picking off heads of grain [to eat] as they traveled along. [Note: It was an accepted custom for people in that day to be permitted to do this as they walked along the paths bordering a grainfield].

And the Pharisees asked Him, "Look, why are they [i.e., Jesus' disciples] doing what is against the law of Moses on the Sabbath day?"

And the Pharisees were watching Him to see if He would heal the man on the Sabbath day, so that they could [find a reason to] accuse Him.

Then He said to the Pharisees, "Is it permissible by the law of Moses to do something good, or something harmful on the Sabbath day? To save a life or to kill it?" But they did not reply.

And the Pharisees immediately went out and conferred with the Herodians against Jesus, plotting how they could kill Him. [Note: These Herodians were members of a political party favoring King Herod]

And whenever they saw Him, [people possessed by] evil spirits fell to the ground in front of Him, shouting, "You are the Son of God."

He then went up into the mountain and summoned those He wanted to come to Him and they came.

Soon a crowd assembled again so that they could not even eat a meal [i.e., without people crowding all around them].

When His relatives [or friends] heard about this [i.e., all that He was doing], they went out to take custody of Him [for safety reasons?], for people were saying, "He has lost his mind."

Truly I tell you, all of mankind's sins and the abusive language that they use in speaking against God [and men] can be forgiven.

Then Jesus' mother and [half-] brothers came and stood outside [i.e., of a large house. See Matt. 12:46-13:1]. They sent a message to Him, asking Him to come out to them.

But when the sun came up the newly sprouted plants were scorched, and because they had no roots, [soon] withered away.

And other seeds fell among thorns which grew up and choked them so that they yielded no crop.

Then other seeds fell into fertile soil, and growing up to maturity, they yielded an ever increasing crop. They produced thirty, sixty and even a hundred times [as much as was planted]."

This is so that even though they see, they will see and yet not perceive. And even though they hear, they will hear and yet not understand. For if they did, they would turn [back to God] again and receive forgiveness."

but [since] they had such shallow roots, they continued on for [only] a little while. Then, when trouble and persecution arose over [obeying] 'the word,' immediately they stumbled [i.e., and fell away from God].

And He said to them, "Pay attention to what you are hearing from me. The standard you use in giving [to others] is the standard they will use on you, with even more added.

And He spoke "the word" to them [i.e., the crowds] with as many such parables as they were able to receive.

And leaving the crowd, the disciples took Him in their boat just the way He was [i.e., this probably means without His making provision for the trip]. They were accompanied by other boats also.

Jesus was sleeping on a pillow in the stern of the boat. They awakened Him, shouting, "Teacher, do you not care that we are sinking?"

And they were extremely afraid, and said to one another, "Who can this man be that even the wind and water obey him?"

And when people came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been dominated by 5,000 to 6,000 evil spirits sitting down with his clothes on and perfectly sane, and they were afraid.

So, they began begging Jesus to leave that region.

And when they arrived at the synagogue official's house He saw a commotion there, with many people crying and wailing loudly.

They laughed at Him scornfully. But after having all the people wait outside He took the child's father and mother, along with those who came with Him [i.e., Peter, James and John] and went in to where the [dead] child lay.

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters living here among us?" And they were led to doubt His true identity.

and ordered them not to take anything with them during their travels, except a walking stick. They were to take no food, no traveling bag [for personal belongings], and no money in their money belts,

Then they went out and preached that people should repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].

And they drove out many evil spirits and applied [olive] oil to [the heads of] many sick people and healed them.

And when John's disciples heard [what had happened] they took his body and buried it in a grave.

Then the apostles got together with Jesus and told Him everything they had done and taught [on their mission].

He said to them, "You men, leave here and go to a deserted place and rest for awhile." For there were so many people coming and going [i.e., to listen to preaching, receive healing, etc.], that they had no opportunity even to eat.

So, they [i.e., Jesus and His apostles] left by boat and went to a separate place [where they could be] alone.

Then Jesus left [His place of seclusion] and, seeing the large crowd, He felt deep compassion for them because they were [as disoriented] as sheep without a shepherd, so He began teaching them.

send the crowd away so they can go into the surrounding countryside and towns to buy themselves something to eat."

But He answered them, "You [men] give them something to eat." And they replied, "Should we go and buy a supply of bread to give them to eat?" [Note: The amount mentioned here indicates that it was two hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or about $14,000 in 1994].

And He said to them, "How many loaves [of bread] do you have? Go and see." And when had found out, they said, "Five [barley] loaves [See John 6:9] and two [probably smoked] fish."

So, they reclined in groups of fifty and one hundred.

and they all ate until they were full.

Then they gathered up twelve baskets full of broken pieces [of bread] and also some fish.

But when they saw Him walking on the water they thought it was a spirit, so shouted out,

becoming [very] frightened when they saw Him. But He immediately spoke to them and said, "Take courage, and do not be afraid, it is I."

but they did not understand [the miracle] of the loaves because their minds were insensitive [i.e., to the nature and power of Jesus].

And when they had [finally] crossed over [i.e., to the west side of Lake Galilee], they arrived in the district of Gennesaret and moored the boat on shore.

As soon as they got out of the boat the people recognized Jesus

And wherever He entered towns, cities or the countryside, they placed sick people at the open shopping markets and begged Him to allow them to touch even the edge of His robe. And all those who touched Him were made well.

They had observed some of His disciples eating their food with contaminated, that is, [ceremonially] unwashed hands.

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews would not eat anything unless they first scrubbed their hands [i.e., up to the wrists] in accordance with the [long-established] tradition of the Jewish elders).

And when they returned from the open shopping markets they refused to eat [anything] until they washed themselves [or "it," that is, the food, thoroughly]. There were also many other traditions which they [strictly] observed, like washing cups, pots and copper kettles [thoroughly].) [Note: The most accurate Greek manuscripts do not add "and beds" in this verse].

And He answered them, "Isaiah prophesied about you hypocrites very well when he wrote [Isa. 29:13], 'These people honor me with their lips [i.e., by what they say], but their heart is far from [honoring] me.

They are worshiping me for nothing because they are teaching principles which are [merely] the requirements of men.'

So, He said to her, "Children should be the first ones to eat until they are full, for it is not proper to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs."

And they brought to Him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and they begged Him to place His hand on him [for healing].

Then Jesus ordered the people [who witnessed the miracle] not to tell anyone [about it], but the more He urged them not to, the more widely they publicized it.

And they were utterly amazed, saying, "He has done everything just right; He makes even the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

"I feel deep pity for this crowd because they have continued listening to me for three days now and have nothing [left] to eat.

And if I send them home hungry they will become weak on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

And He asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" And they answered, "We have seven loaves."

Then He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks to God [for them], He divided the food and gave it to His disciples to set in front of them. They [in turn] set it in front of the crowd.

They [also] had a few small fish and after asking God's blessing on them, He ordered these also to be set in front of them.

And they [all] ate until they were full, then gathered up seven baskets of broken pieces which were left over.

And they began reasoning with one another, saying, " [Why be concerned about yeast since] we do not have [any] bread?"

Jesus, being aware of what they were thinking, said, "Why are you reasoning about not having any bread? Have you not yet perceived or understood? Have your hearts become insensitive?

When I divided the five loaves of bread among the five thousand persons, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather up?" They said to Him, "Twelve baskets full."

He again asked, "And when the seven loaves were divided among the four thousand persons, how many large basketfuls of broken pieces did you gather up?" And they said to Him, "Seven large basketfuls."

And when they came to Bethsaida some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Him to touch him [i.e., for healing].

The man looked up and said, " [Yes], I see people, but they look like trees walking around."

And they answered Him, " [Some say] you are John the Immerser; others say [the prophet] Elijah, but others say [you are] one of the prophets."

And Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, there are some people standing here who will surely not experience death until they see that God's kingdom has come in [a demonstration of] power."

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

For he did not know what to say, because they [all] became very afraid.

And suddenly they looked all around them, but the only one they saw with them was Jesus.

And as they were coming down from the mountain Jesus ordered His disciples not to tell anyone what they had seen until [after] the Son of man was raised again from the dead.

So, they kept what He told them to themselves, discussing [only] among themselves what "rising again from the dead" meant.

But I tell you, Elijah has [already] come, and they did to him what they wanted to, just like it was written about him [in the Scriptures]."

And when Peter, James and John [See verse 2] returned to [the rest of] the disciples, they saw a large crowd gathered around them, and the experts in the law of Moses disputing with them.

Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I spoke to your disciples, asking them to drive it out, but they were not able to."

Then they [i.e., some people from the crowd] brought the sick boy to Jesus, and when the spirit saw Him, it immediately caused the boy to have convulsions and to fall to the ground and roll around, foaming at the mouth.

So, they left there and traveled through Galilee, but Jesus did not want anyone to know about it.

For He taught His disciples, saying to them, "The Son of man will be handed over to [evil] men and they will kill Him, and three days after He dies He will rise up again."

But they kept quiet for they had been arguing with one another over which one of them was the greatest.

They replied, "Moses allowed us to provide a legal divorce decree and [then] to divorce her."

and the two of them will [then] become one flesh [i.e., united in such a close relationship as to constitute one body], so that [upon becoming husband and wife] they no longer function as two persons but as one body.

And when they were in the house, His disciples asked Him about this matter again.