How It All began

This is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, God’s Son. 

As Isaiah [and the prophets] had written,

“Look, I am sending My messenger ahead of You.  He will prepare Your way before You... the voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord!  Make His paths straight!’”

John came baptizing in the desert, and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  And the people of Jerusalem and all the country of Judea went out to him, and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 

Now John was clothed in camel hair, with a leather belt around his waist.  And he ate grasshoppers and wild honey.  And he preached, declaring, “One is coming after me who is more powerful than I am.  I’m not fit to kneel down and untie the lacing of His sandals.  It’s true that I’ve baptized you in water, but He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

Now it was in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.  And as He came up from the water, He saw the skies opened up, and the Spirit of God coming down like a dove to settle on Him.  Then a voice spoke out of the skies, saying, “You are My own dear Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 

Then God’s Spirit led Him immediately out into the desert.  And He stayed in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan, and living among the wild animals.  And angels helped Him.

After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee announcing the good news of God’s kingdom, and saying, “The time has come!  God’s kingdom approaches!  Stop, turn around, and believe in the good news!”

And walking along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the water (because they were fishermen).  And Jesus said to them, “Come along with Me.  I will make you become fishers of men!”  And they immediately left their nets and went with Him.

Then, going on a short distance from there, He saw James (Zebedee’s son) and his brother John.  They were in the boat repairing the nets.  He called them at once.  And leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, they went to follow Him.  Then they entered the town of Capernaum.

There He immediately began teaching in the synagogue [a Jewish gathering place] every Sabbath.  And the people were shocked at His teaching, because He taught them with authority, and not like the Scribes.

Now there was a man in their synagogue who had an unclean [demonic] spirit.  And he screamed out, “Aaeeah!  What do You want from us, Jesus of Nazareth?  Have you come to destroy us?  I know You, who You are!  The Holy One of God!”

But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet!  Come out of him!”  And convulsing the man, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came on out of him.

All the people were shocked.  And they were saying to each other, “What is this?”

“What new teaching is this, that He even commands the evil spirits with authority?”

“And they obey Him!”

So the news about Jesus spread quickly around the entire region of Galilee.

When they left the synagogue they went straight to Simon and Andrew’s house, taking James and John with them.  Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down, sick with a fever.  And they told Jesus about her right away.  Going to her, He took her hand, lifting her up, and the fever left her instantly.  And she prepared food for them.

That evening, as the sun went down, they brought everyone who was sick or demon-possessed to Him.  And the whole town gathered at the door.  And He healed many sick people of all kinds of diseases.  He also cast out many demons.  But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

Rising up early the next morning, He left the house while it was still dark, and went out to a deserted place, and was praying.  Then Simon and those with him went looking for Him.  When they found Him they said, “Everyone’s looking for you.”

But He said, “Let’s go on to the small towns nearby, so I can preach there also, because that’s what I came to do.” 

Jesus Forgives Sins

So He went preaching in the Jewish synagogues all over Galilee, and casting out demons.  Once, a leper approached Him, pleading with Him, and falling on his knees in front of Him, and saying, “If You want to, You can make me clean!”

Jesus, being moved with compassion, put His hand out and touched the leper, saying, “I want to.  Be clean!”  And as soon as He said the words, the leprosy vanished from the man, and he was made clean. 

Then He sent the man away immediately, giving him strict orders: “See to it that you say nothing about this to anyone.  Go to the priest and present yourself, and make an offering for your cleansing as Moses commanded, as a witness to them.”  

But the man went away shouting the news to everyone, and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer enter a town publicly.  He had to stay out in the remote areas.  Yet people came to Him from all over.