Just as it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "Behold, I am sending my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,

And all the Judean region and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.

And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

And [as he] was passing by along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, casting [a net] into the sea (for they were fishermen).

And going on a little [farther], he saw James the [son] of Zebedee and his brother John, and they [were] in the boat mending the nets.

And they were amazed at his teaching, because he was teaching them like one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

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

And they were all amazed, so that [they began] to discuss with one another, saying, "What is this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands the unclean spirits and they obey him."

Now [when it] was evening, when the sun had set, they began bringing to him all those {who were sick} and those who were demon-possessed.

And he healed many {who were sick} with various diseases and expelled many demons. And he did not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

And Simon and those [who were] with him searched diligently for him.

And a leper came to him, entreating him and kneeling down, saying to him, "If you are willing, you are able to make me clean."

And he said to him, "See to it that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and bring for your cleansing [the things] which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.

But he went out [and] began to proclaim [it] freely and to spread abroad the account, so that he was no longer able to enter publicly into a town. But he was staying outside in deserted places, and they were coming to him from all directions.

And [when] they were not able to bring [him] to him because of the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. And [after] digging through, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying.

And [when] Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven."

Now some of the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts,

And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they were reasoning like this within themselves, said to them, "Why are you considering these [things] in your hearts?

Which is easier to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say 'Get up and pick up your stretcher and walk'?

"I say to you, get up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your home."

And he got up and immediately picked up his stretcher [and] went out in front of [them] all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen [anything] like this!"

And it happened that he {was dining} in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners {were dining with} Jesus and his disciples, for there were many and they were following him.

And [when] Jesus heard [it], he said to them, "Those who are healthy do not have need of a physician, but those {who are sick}. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

And John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and said to him, "{Why} do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

And Jesus said to them, "The {bridegroom's attendants} are not able to fast while the bridegroom is with them, [are they]? As long a time [as] they have the bridegroom with them, they are not able to fast.

And the Pharisees began to say to him, "Behold, why are they doing what is not permitted on the Sabbath?"

And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he had need and he and those [who were] with him were hungry--

how he entered into the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the presentation, which it is not permitted to eat (except the priests) and also gave [it] to those who were with him?"

And they were watching him closely [to see] if he would heal him on the Sabbath, in order that they could accuse him.

And he said to them, "Is it permitted on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.

And looking around at them with anger, grieved at the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched [it] out, and his hand was restored.

For he had healed many, so that all those who {were suffering from diseases} pressed about him in order that they could touch him.

And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, were falling down before him and crying out, saying, "You are the Son of God!"

And he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they were not even able to eat a meal.

And [when] {his family} heard [this], they went out to restrain him, for they were saying, "He has lost his mind!"

And the scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul!" and "By the ruler of the demons he expels the demons!"

because they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit."

And a crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Behold, your mother and your brothers [are] outside looking for you."

And he answered them [and] said, "Who is my mother or my brothers?"

And looking around at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, "Behold, my mother and my brothers!

And other [seed] fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up at once, because it did not have [any] depth of soil.

And he said to them, "To you has been granted the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything is in parables,

And these are the ones beside the path where the word is sown, and whenever they hear [it], immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

And these are like the ones sown on the rocky ground, who whenever they hear the word immediately receive it with joy.

And they have no root in themselves, but are temporary. Then [when] affliction or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.

And others are the ones sown among the thorn plants--these are the ones who hear the word,

And those are the ones sown on the good soil, who hear the word and receive [it] and bear fruit--one thirty and one sixty and one a hundred [times as much]."

And he said to them, "Surely a lamp is not brought so that it may be put under a bushel basket or under a bed, [is it]? [Is it] not so that it may be put on a lampstand?

And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or by what parable can we present it?

[It is] like a mustard seed that when sown on the ground, [although it] is the smallest of all the seeds that [are] on the ground,

but when it is sown it grows up and becomes the largest of all the garden herbs, and sends out large branches so that the birds of the sky are able to nest in its shade."

And with many parables such as these he was speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear [it].

And leaving the crowd, they took him along, as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.

And a great storm of wind developed, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already being filled [with water].

And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, is it not a concern to you that we are perishing?"

And he said to them, "Why are you fearful? Do you not yet have faith?"

And {they were terribly frightened} and began to say to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

And he was asking him "{What is your name}?" And he said to him, "My name [is] Legion, because we are many."

And he permitted them. And the unclean spirits came out [and] entered into the pigs, and the herd--about two thousand--rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea.

And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting [there] clothed and in his right mind--the one who had had the legion--and they were afraid.

And he did not permit him, but said to him, "Go to your home to your [people] and tell them all that the Lord has done for you, and [that] he has had mercy on you."

And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and they were all astonished.

And he was imploring him many [times], saying, "My little daughter {is at the point of death}! Come, lay your hands on her, so that she will get well and will live."

But he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be well from your suffering."

[While] he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue ruler's [house] saying, "Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher further?"

And [when he] entered, he said to them, "Why are you agitated and weeping? The child is not dead, but is sleeping."

And they began laughing at him. But he sent [them] all out [and] took along the father and mother of the child, and those [who were] with him, and went in to where the child was.

and immediately the girl stood up and began walking around (for she was twelve years old). And {immediately they were utterly and completely astonished}.

And [when] the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard [him] were amazed, saying, "Where did this man [get] these [things]? And what [is] this wisdom that has been granted to this man, and the miracles such as these performed through his hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they were offended by him.

but to put on sandals and not to wear two tunics.

And whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, [as you] go out from there, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them."

And they were expelling many demons and anointing many sick [people] with olive oil and healing [them].

And King Herod heard [it], because his name had become known. And they were saying, "John, the one who baptizes, has been raised from the dead, and because of this these miraculous powers are at work in him."

But others were saying, "He is Elijah," and others were saying, "[He is] a prophet like one of the prophets."

For John had been saying to Herod, "It is not permitted for you to have your brother's wife."

And he said to them, "You yourselves come privately to an isolated place and rest for a short time." For those [who were] coming and going were many, and they did not even have time to eat.

And getting out [of the boat] he saw the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep {without} a shepherd, and he began to teach them many [things].

And they all ate and were satisfied.

And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

For they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke with them and said to them, "Have courage, I am [he]! Do not be afraid!"

And he went up with them into the boat, and the wind abated. And {they were extraordinarily} astounded within themselves,

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

And [as] they were getting out of the boat, [people] recognized him immediately.

They ran about [through] that whole region and began to carry around those {who were sick} on stretchers, wherever they heard that he was.

And wherever he would go, into villages or into towns or to farms, they would put those who were sick in the marketplaces and would implore him that if they could touch even the edge of his cloak. And all those who touched it were healed.

And they saw that some of his disciples were eating their bread with unclean--that is, unwashed--hands.

And [when they come] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other [traditions] which they have received [and] hold fast to--[for example,] the washing of cups and pitchers and bronze kettles and dining couches.)

And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unclean hands?"

And he said to them, "You splendidly ignore the commandment of God so that you can keep your tradition.

For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'The one who speaks evil of father or mother {must certainly die}.'

But you say, 'If a man says to his father or to his mother, "Whatever {benefit you would have received} from me [is] corban" (that is, a gift [to God]),

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

[thus] making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down, and you do many similar [things] such as this."

There is nothing outside of a person that is able to defile him [by] going into him. But the things that go out of a person are the things that defile a person."

And he said to them, "So are you also without understanding? Do you not understand that everything [that is] outside that goes into a person [is] not able to defile him?

And he said to her, "Because of this statement, go! The demon has gone out of your daughter."

And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had difficulty speaking, and they were imploring him that he would place his hand on him.

And his ears were opened and {his difficulty in speaking was removed} and he began to speak normally.