People from the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem were going out to him, and he was baptizing them in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.

As he went along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen).

They left their nets immediately and followed him.

Immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Then they went to Capernaum. When the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.

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.

Simon's mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever, so they spoke to Jesus at once about her.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and demon-possessed.

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.

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

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.

When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Jesus. Then, after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on.

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?

And immediately the man stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

When the experts in the law and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

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?"

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast.

But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and at that time they will fast.

Jesus was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat as they made their way.

So the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?"

They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him.

Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?" But they were silent.

So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him.

Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done.

And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God."

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

He appointed twelve (whom he named apostles), so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach

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

When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

I tell you the truth, people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter.

(because they said, "He has an unclean spirit").

Then Jesus' mother and his brothers came. Standing outside, they sent word to him, to summon him.

A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you."

Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain.

so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven."

These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them.

These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy.

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.

Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word,

But these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred."

So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.

So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him.

But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?"

They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, "Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!"

So they came to the other side of the lake, to the region of the Gerasenes.

They came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting there, clothed and in his right mind -- the one who had the "Legion" -- and they were afraid.

Those who had seen what had happened to the demon-possessed man reported it, and they also told about the pigs.

Then they asked Jesus to leave their region.

They came to the house of the synagogue ruler where he saw noisy confusion and people weeping and wailing loudly.

And they began making fun of him. But he put them all outside and he took the child's father and mother and his own companions and went into the room where the child was.

The girl got up at once and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). They were completely astonished at this.

Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't his sisters here with us?" And so they took offense at him.

So they went out and preached that all should repent.

They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

When John's disciples heard this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.

Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.

So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place.

But many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they hurried on foot from all the towns and arrived there ahead of them.

As Jesus came ashore he saw the large crowd and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.

Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something for themselves to eat."

But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "Should we go and buy bread for two hundred silver coins and give it to them to eat?"

He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five -- and two fish."

So they reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties.

They all ate and were satisfied,

and they picked up the broken pieces and fish that were left over, twelve baskets full.

When they saw him walking on the water they thought he was a ghost. They cried out,

for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them: "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."

Then he went up with them into the boat, and the wind ceased. They were completely astonished,

because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and anchored there.

As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Jesus.

They ran through that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever he was rumored to be.

And wherever he would go -- into villages, towns, or countryside -- they would place the sick in the marketplaces, and would ask him if they could just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.

And they saw that some of Jesus' disciples ate their bread with unclean hands, that is, unwashed.

(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.

And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. They hold fast to many other traditions: the washing of cups, pots, kettles, and dining couches.)

They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.'

They brought to him a deaf man who had difficulty speaking, and they asked him to place his hands on him.

Jesus ordered them not to tell anything. But as much as he ordered them not to do this, they proclaimed it all the more.

"I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days, and they have nothing to eat.

If I send them home hungry, they will faint on the way, and some of them have come from a great distance."

He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They replied, "Seven."

Then he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. After he took the seven loaves and gave thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples to serve. So they served the crowd.

They also had a few small fish. After giving thanks for these, he told them to serve these as well.

Everyone ate and was satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full.

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 I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?" They replied, "Twelve."

"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?" They replied, "Seven."

Then they came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to Jesus and asked him to touch him.

Regaining his sight he said, "I see people, but they look like trees walking."

They said, "John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others, one of the prophets."

And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, there are some standing here who will not experience death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

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

(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.

As they were coming down from the mountain, he gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

They kept this statement to themselves, discussing what this rising from the dead meant.

Then they asked him, "Why do the experts in the law say that Elijah must come first?"