Mar 1 | NASB1995 | STEP | The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ , the Son of God .

2 ^bAs it is written in Isaiah the prophet: ^c“Behold, I send My messenger ^{▼▼ Lit before your face} ahead of You,
Who will prepare Your way;
3 ^e The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight.’”

4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness ^{▼▼ Or proclaiming
,} ^gpreaching a baptism of repentance for the ^hforgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore ⁱa leather belt around his waist, and ^{▼▼ Lit he was eating}his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was ^{▼▼ Or proclaiming}preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals. 8 “I baptized you ^{▼▼ The Gr here can be translated in, with or by}with water; but He will baptize you ^{▼▼ The Gr here can be translated in, with or by}with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 ⁿIn those days Jesus ^ocame from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens ^{▼▼ Or being parted}opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came out of the heavens: ^q“You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

12 ^rImmediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by ^sSatan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

14 ^tNow after John had been ^{▼▼ Lit delivered up}taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, ^{▼▼ Or proclaiming
,} ^wpreaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, ^x“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God ^{▼▼ Lit has come near}is at hand; ^zrepent and ^{▼▼ Or put your trust in}believe in the gospel.”

16 ^abAs He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 Going on a little farther, He saw ^{▼▼ Or Jacob}James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately He called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went away ^{▼▼ Lit after Him}to follow Him.

21 ^ae They went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath ^afHe entered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 ^agThey were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 saying, ^ah“What ^{▼▼ Lit What to us and to You (a Heb idiom)}business do we have with each other, Jesus ^{▼▼ Lit the Nazarene}of ^akNazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are— ^althe Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 Throwing him into convulsions, the unclean spirit cried out with a loud voice and came out of him. 27 They were all ^amamazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 Immediately the news about Him spread everywhere into all the surrounding district of Galilee.

Crowds Healed

29 ^anAnd immediately after they came ^aoout of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with ^{▼▼ Or Jacob}James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying sick with a fever; and immediately they spoke to ^{▼▼ Lit Him}Jesus about her. 31 And He came to her and raised her up, taking her by the hand, and the fever left her, and she ^{▼▼ Or served}waited on them.

32 ^asWhen evening came, ^atafter the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were ^audemon-possessed. 33 And the whole ^avcity had gathered at the door. 34 And He ^awhealed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

35 ^axIn the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and ^aywas praying there. 36 Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37 they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38 He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may ^{▼▼ Or proclaim}preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39 ^baAnd He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, ^{▼▼ Or proclaiming}preaching and casting out the demons.

40 ^bcAnd a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and ^bdfalling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44 and He said to him, ^be“See that you say nothing to anyone; but ^bfgo, show yourself to the priest and ^bgoffer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to ^bhproclaim it freely and to ^bispread the news around, to such an extent that ^{▼▼ Lit He}Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but ^{▼▼ Lit was}stayed out in unpopulated areas; and ^blthey were coming to Him from everywhere.