John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1 The Matt. 1:1; 3:1; Luke 3:22beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Ps. 2:7; Matt. 14:33; Luke 1:35the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the Prophets:
Mal. 3:1; Matt. 11:10; Luke 7:27"Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You."
3 "TheIs. 40:3; Matt. 3:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23 voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ "
4 Mal. 4:6; Matt. 3:1; Luke 3:3John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 5 Matt. 3:5Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 Now John was Matt. 3:4clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, Matt. 3:11; John 1:27; Acts 13:25"There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 Acts 1:5; 11:16I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you Is. 44:3; John 20:22; (Acts 2:4; 10:45, 46; 1 Cor. 12:13)with the Holy Spirit."
John Baptizes Jesus
9 Matt. 3:13–17; Luke 3:21, 22It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Ezek. 1:1; Matt. 3:16; John 1:32And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit Is. 11:2; 61:1; Acts 10:38descending upon Him like a dove. 11 Then a voice came from heaven, (Ps. 2:7); Is. 42:1; Matt. 3:17; 12:18; Mark 9:7; Luke 3:22"You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Satan Tempts Jesus
12 Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. 13 And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; Matt. 4:10, 11and the angels ministered to Him.
Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry
14 Matt. 4:12Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, Matt. 4:23preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, Dan. 9:25; (Gal. 4:4; Eph. 1:10; 1 Tim. 2:6); Titus 1:3"The time is fulfilled, and Matt. 3:2; 4:17; (Acts 20:21)the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
Four Fishermen Called as Disciples
16 Matt. 4:18–22; Luke 5:2–11; John 1:40–42And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become Matt. 13:47, 48fishers of men."18 Matt. 19:27; (Luke 14:26)They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19 When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. 20 And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit
21 Matt. 4:13; Luke 4:31–37Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the Ps. 22:22; Matt. 4:23; Luke 4:16; 13:10synagogue and taught. 22 Matt. 7:28, 29; 13:54And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an (Matt. 12:43); Mark 5:2; 7:25; Luke 4:33unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, "Let us alone! Matt. 8:28, 29; Mark 5:7, 8; Luke 8:28What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41; James 2:19know who You are—the Ps. 16:10Holy One of God!"
25 But Jesus (Luke 4:39)rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"26 And when the unclean spirit Mark 9:20had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." 28 And immediately His Matt. 4:24; 9:31fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
Peter’s Mother-in-Law Healed
29 Matt. 8:14, 15; Luke 4:38, 39Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset
32 Matt. 8:16, 17; Luke 4:40, 41At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and Matt. 9:33; Luke 13:32cast out many demons; and He Mark 3:12; Luke 4:41; Acts 16:17, 18did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Preaching in Galilee
35 Now Luke 4:42, 43in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He Matt. 26:39, 44; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:28, 29; Heb. 5:7prayed. 36 And Simon and those whowere with Him searched for Him. 37 When they found Him, they said to Him, Matt. 4:25; John 3:26; 12:19"Everyone (Heb. 11:6)is looking for You."
38 But He said to them, Luke 4:43"Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because (Is. 61:1, 2; Mark 10:45; John 16:28; 17:4, 8)for this purpose I have come forth."
39 Ps. 22:22; Matt. 4:23; 9:35; Mark 1:21; 3:1; Luke 4:44And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and Mark 5:8, 13; 7:29, 30casting out demons.
Jesus Cleanses a Leper
40 Matt. 8:2–4; Luke 5:12–14Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."
41 Then Jesus, moved with Luke 7:13compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."42 As soon as He had spoken, Matt. 15:28; Mark 5:29immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. 43 And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things Lev. 14:1–32which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
45 Matt. 28:15; Luke 5:15However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; Mark 2:2, 13; 3:7; Luke 5:17; John 6:2and they came to Him from every direction.