施洗者约翰预备道路
1有关上帝的儿子耶稣基督的福音是这样开始的。
2以赛亚先知书上说：
“看啊，
我要差遣我的使者在你前面为你预备道路。
3他在旷野大声呼喊，
‘预备主的道，
修直祂的路。’”
4果然，约翰出现了，他在旷野劝人悔改，接受洗礼，使罪得到赦免。 5犹太全境和耶路撒冷的居民都到约翰面前承认他们的罪，在约旦河里接受他的洗礼。
6约翰身穿骆驼毛的衣服，腰束皮带，吃的是蝗虫和野蜜。 7他传道说：“在我之后，有一位能力比我更大的要来，我连弯腰替祂解鞋带也不配。 8我是用水给你们施洗，但祂要用圣灵给你们施洗。”
耶稣受洗
9那时，耶稣从加利利的拿撒勒来约旦河接受约翰的洗礼。 10耶稣从水中一上来，就看见天开了，圣灵好像鸽子一样降在祂身上， 11从天上有声音说：“你是我的爱子，我甚喜悦你。”
耶稣受试探
12圣灵随即催促祂到旷野。 13祂在旷野受撒旦的试探四十天。祂与野兽在一起，有天使服侍祂。
呼召四渔夫
14约翰被捕后，耶稣来到加利利宣讲上帝的福音，说： 15“时候到了，上帝的国临近了，你们要悔改，相信福音。”
16耶稣沿着加利利湖边走，看见两个渔夫——西门和他的弟弟安得烈正在湖上撒网捕鱼。 17耶稣对他们说：“来跟从我！我要使你们成为得人的渔夫。” 18他们立刻抛下渔网，跟从了耶稣。
19耶稣往前走了不远，又看见西庇太的两个儿子雅各和约翰正在船上补网， 20便立刻呼召他们。他们就辞别父亲和船上的工人，跟从了耶稣。
传道赶鬼
21他们到了迦百农，耶稣在安息日去会堂里讲道。 22那里的人都很吃惊，因为祂教导他们时像个有权柄的人，不像律法教师。 23当时会堂里有一个被污鬼附身的人喊道： 24“拿撒勒的耶稣啊，我们和你有什么关系？你是来毁灭我们吗？我知道你是谁，你是上帝的圣者！”
25耶稣责备它说：“住口，从他身上出来！”
26污鬼使那人抽搐了一阵，大叫一声，就出来了。 27在场的人十分惊讶，彼此议论说：“这是怎么回事？真是充满权柄的新教导啊！竟然连污鬼都服从祂的命令。” 28于是，耶稣的名声立刻传遍了整个加利利。
医病赶鬼
29耶稣同雅各和约翰离开会堂，来到西门和安得烈家。 30当时西门的岳母正发烧，躺在床上，他们立刻把这事告诉耶稣。 31耶稣走到她的床边，拉着她的手扶她起来，她的烧立刻退了，便起来服侍他们。
32日落之后，有人把病人和被鬼附身的人都带来见耶稣。 33全城的人都聚在门前。 34耶稣医好了许多患各种疾病的人，又赶出很多鬼。祂不准鬼说话，因为鬼认识祂。
在加利利传道
35第二天清早，天还没亮，耶稣就起来独自走到旷野去祷告。 36西门和同伴们四处寻找耶稣， 37找到了，便对祂说：“大家都在找你呢！”
38耶稣却回答说：“我们到附近的乡镇去吧，我也好在那里传道，因为我就是为这事来的。”
39于是，耶稣走遍加利利，在各会堂传道，赶鬼。
治好麻风病人
40有一次，一个患麻风病的人来到耶稣面前，跪下央求：“只要你肯，一定能使我洁净。”
41耶稣动了慈心，就伸手摸他，说：“我肯，你洁净了吧！” 42那人的麻风病立即消失了，他就洁净了。 43耶稣让他回去并郑重地叮嘱： 44“不要把这事告诉别人，要去让祭司察看你的身体，并照摩西的规定献祭，向众人证明你已经洁净了。”
45但那人离开之后，却到处传扬这件事，以致耶稣无法再公开进城。祂只能待在城外的旷野，可是人们仍从各处来找祂。
John the Baptist Prepares the Way
1This is the beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. 2Long ago Isaiah the prophet wrote,
“I will send my messenger ahead of you.
He will prepare your way.” (Malachi 3:1)
3“A messenger is calling out in the desert,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord.
Make straight paths for him.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3)
4And so John the Baptist appeared in the desert. He preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them. 5All the people from the countryside of Judea went out to him. All the people from Jerusalem went too. When they admitted they had sinned, John baptized them in the Jordan River. 6John wore clothes made out of camel’s hair. He had a leather belt around his waist. And he ate locusts and wild honey. 7Here is what John was preaching. “After me, there is someone coming who is more powerful than I am. I’m not good enough to bend down and untie his sandals. 8I baptize you with water. But he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus Is Baptized and Tempted
9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee. John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. 10Jesus was coming up out of the water. Just then he saw heaven being torn open. Jesus saw the Holy Spirit coming down on him like a dove. 11A voice spoke to him from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”
12At once the Holy Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert. 13He was in the desert 40 days. There Satan tempted him. The wild animals didn’t harm Jesus. Angels took care of him.
Jesus Preaches the Good News
14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee. He preached the good news of God. 15“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Turn away from your sins and believe the good news!”
Jesus Chooses His First Disciples
16One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake. They were fishermen. 17“Come and follow me,” Jesus said. “I will send you out to fish for people.” 18At once they left their nets and followed him.
19Then Jesus walked a little farther. As he did, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat preparing their nets. 20Right away he called out to them. They left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men. Then they followed Jesus.
Jesus Drives Out an Evil Spirit
21Jesus and those with him went to Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue. There he began to teach. 22The people were amazed at his teaching. That’s because he taught them like one who had authority. He did not talk like the teachers of the law. 23Just then a man in their synagogue cried out. He was controlled by an evil spirit. He said, 24“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the Holy One of God!”
25“Be quiet!” said Jesus firmly. “Come out of him!” 26The evil spirit shook the man wildly. Then it came out of him with a scream.
27All the people were amazed. So they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching! And with so much authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him.” 28News about Jesus spread quickly all over Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many People
29Jesus and those with him left the synagogue. Right away they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed with a fever. They told Jesus about her right away. 31So he went to her. He took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her. Then she began to serve them.
32That evening after sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who were sick. They also brought all who were controlled by demons. 33All the people in town gathered at the door. 34Jesus healed many of them. They had all kinds of sicknesses. He also drove out many demons. But he would not let the demons speak, because they knew who he was.
Jesus Prays in a Quiet Place
35It was very early in the morning and still dark. Jesus got up and left the house. He went to a place where he could be alone. There he prayed. 36Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. 37When they found him, they called out, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38Jesus replied, “Let’s go somewhere else. I want to go to the nearby towns. I must preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39So he traveled all around Galilee. He preached in their synagogues. He also drove out demons.
Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease
40A man who had a skin disease came to Jesus. On his knees he begged Jesus. He said, “If you are willing to make me ‘clean,’ you can do it.”
41Jesus became angry. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing to do it,” Jesus said. “Be ‘clean’!” 42Right away the disease left the man, and he was “clean.”
43Jesus sent him away at once. He gave the man a strong warning. 44“Don’t tell this to anyone,” he said. “Go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded. It will be a witness to the priest and the people that you are ‘clean.’ ” 45But the man went out and started talking right away. He spread the news to everyone. So Jesus could no longer enter a town openly. He stayed outside in lonely places. But people still came to him from everywhere.
