And [as they] were going out, they found a man of Cyrene {named} Simon. They forced this man to carry his cross.

And they set up over his head the cause of his death written, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews."

And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a great voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani I this is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Some of them that stood there, when they heard that said, "This man calleth for Elijah."

When the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things which happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Of a surety this was the son of God."

And many women, who had followed Jesus from Galilee and had ministered to His needs, were watching [all this] from a distance.

This man approached Pilate [and] asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered [it] to be given [to him].

Now the next day after the preparation, the chief priests and pharisees went together to Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that this impostor,

and said, "Sir, we remember that this deceiver said while he was yet alive, after three days I will arise again.

pray therefore order a guard to be posted at the sepulchre till the third day, for fear his disciples should come and steal him away, and then tell the people, "he is risen from the dead:" for this last imposture would be of worse consequence than the first.

Then run and tell His disciples, 'He has risen from the dead, and is going back to Galilee ahead of you; you will see Him there.' This is my message to you."

On this they ran quickly from the sepulcher, in fear and great joy, to tell the news to his disciples.

While they went on this errand, some of the guards came into the city and reported to the High Priests every detail of what had happened.

and told them, “Say this, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole Him while we were sleeping.’

And if this come to the ruler's ears, we will appease him, and save you harmless.

And they took the money, and did as they were taught. And this saying is noised among the Jews unto this day.

This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

And in fulfillment of this, John the Baptizer appeared in the Wilderness, proclaiming a baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins.

And this was his message: "After me there is coming one stronger than I am, one whose shoes I am not fit to stoop down and untie.

when this voice from heaven was heard, "thou art my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."

He spent forty days in this desert where He was put to the test by Satan. He was with wild animals, and angels ministered to His needs [while there].

saying, "The time has come and the reign of God is near; repent, and believe this good news."

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

At this, the unclean spirit shook the man, cried out with a loud voice, and came out of him.

And they were all amazed, insomuch that they demanded one of another among themselves, saying, "What thing is this? What new doctrine is this? For he commandeth the foul spirits with power, and they obey him."

upon this his fame immediately spread abroad over all the region of Galilee.

And he said to them, "Let us go elsewhere, into the neighboring rural towns, so that I can preach there also, because I have come out for this [very] reason."

Then a person with an infectious skin disease came to Jesus and, kneeling down before Him, begged Him, saying, "If you want to, you can heal me." [Note: Throughout this narrative the term "heal/healing" is originally "clean/cleansing" because the Jews viewed a person with such a disease as ceremonially "unclean." See Lev. 13:1-3].

When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

But Jesus at once drove him out of their presence, and gave him this stringent charge:

saying to him, “See that you tell no one anything [about this]; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your purification what Moses commanded, as proof to them [that you are really healed].”

But certain of the scribes were sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies?

"How doth this fellow so blaspheme? Who can forgive sins, but God only?"

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 this paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say to him, "Get up and pick up your mat and walk'?

And by and by he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all: insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God saying, "We never saw it on this fashion."

On hearing this Jesus said to them. "It is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

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].

adding this observation, "the sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

For this reason the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

On this the Pharisees withdrew and at once joined the Herodians in a plot against him, to destroy him.

After this they went into an house, and the crowd press'd again upon them, so as to hinder them from taking their 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 came down from Jerusalem, said, He hath Beelzebub, and by this prince of the devils doth he cast out devils.

This was said in reply to the charge that he had a foul spirit in him.

By this time His mother and His brothers arrive, and standing outside they send a message to Him to call Him.

For whoever does the will of God, this person is my brother and sister and mother."

“Listen! A sower went out to sow seed;

As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

"Any one who has ears to hear," he added, "let him listen to this."

"To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;

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."

And he said unto them, "Perceive ye not this similitude? How then should ye understand all other similitudes?

and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enter in, and choke the word, and it is made unfruitful.

If anyone has an ear to hear, let him listen to this."

And he said, "The kingdom of God is like this: like a man scatters seed on the ground.

Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?

By what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard-seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds,

In many a parable like this he spoke the word to them, so far as they could listen to it;

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.

Then he said to them, "Why are you afraid like this? Have you no faith yet?"

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, "What fellow is this? For both wind and sea obey him."

This man lived among the tombs, and no one could any longer subdue him even with a chain,

For Jesus was saying to [the evil spirit in] him, "Come out of this man, you evil spirit."

Then He asked [the evil spirit], "What is your name?" And he answered Him, "My name is 'Legion,' [Note: This word means a number consisting of between 5,000 and 6,000], for there are many of us [i.e., evil spirits]."

So he let them do this. The unclean spirits came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of about 2,000 rushed down a steep slope into the sea and drowned there.

On this the swineherds ran away and spread the news in town and country. So the people went to see what had happened.

Those who saw this told the people what had happened to the man dominated by the evil spirits and about the [wild] hogs.

And he was looking around to see the one who had done this.

Even while He was saying this, people came from the house of the leader of the synagogue and said, "Your daughter is dead; why trouble the Teacher any longer?"

And they came to the house of the ruler of the Synagogue; and he saw people running this way and that, and weeping and crying loudly.

And he went in and said unto them, "Why make ye this ado and weep? The maiden is not dead, but sleepeth."

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.

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

And he commanded them strictly that no one should learn of this, and said to give her [something] to eat.

And when the Sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many that heard him were astonished, and said, "From whence hath he these things? And what wisdom is this that is given unto him? And such virtues that are wrought by his hands?

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

And the people from whatever place that does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off from under your shoes as evidence against them." [Note: This was a Jewish custom showing disdain and intended to suggest their unworthiness].

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 [when] Herod heard [it], he said, "John whom I beheaded--this one has been raised!"

Now this Herod had sent and arrested John, and bound him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.

Now [because of this] Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but had not been able to.

when the daughter of this very Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those reclining together, and, the king, said unto the damsel - Ask me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee;

Then she rushed at once before the king, and made this request, "I want you this very minute to give me John the Baptist's head on a platter."

at this the king was exceedingly concern'd; however, in regard to his oath, and to those who were at table with him, he would not refuse her;

And [when] his disciples heard [this], they came and took away his corpse and placed it in a tomb.

And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him saying, "This is a desert place, and now the day is far passed,

The number eating the loaves of bread was five thousand men. [Note: This was besides women and children. See Matt. 14:21].

And about then Jesus compelled His disciples to get into a boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side [i.e., to the west side of Lake Galilee] to Bethsaida [Note: This was apparently a different "Bethsaida" from the one mentioned in Luke 9:10, which was on the east side of Lake Galilee], while He Himself sent the crowd away.

Then He got up into the boat with them and the wind [immediately] stopped. And His disciples were greatly amazed [at this],

(For the Pharisees, and indeed all strict Jews, will not eat without first scrupulously washing their hands, holding in this to the traditions of their ancestors.

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].

So the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law asked Jesus this question--"How is it that your disciples do not follow the traditions of our ancestors, but eat their food with defiled hands?"

He answered and said unto them, "Well prophesied hath Isaiah of you hypocrites as it is written, 'This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.'

you say that if a man tells his father or mother, 'This money which otherwise you would have received from me, is Korban' (that is, a thing devoted to God),

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

Then he called the crowd to him again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand this:

If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen to this."

Now when He had left the crowd and gone home, His disciples were asking Him the meaning of this story.

For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer." (This means all foods are clean.)