Mar 1 | NASB2020 | STEP | The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ , the Son of God ,

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, ^athe Son of God,

2 ^bjust as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“ ^cBehold, I am sending My messenger ^{▼▼Lit before your face}before You,
Who will prepare Your way;
3 ^eThe voice of one calling ^{▼▼Or out, Prepare in the wilderness the way} out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”
4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, ^{▼▼Or proclaiming
,} ^hpreaching a baptism of repentance for the ⁱforgiveness 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 ^ja leather belt around his waist, and ^{▼▼Lit was eating}his diet was locusts and wild honey. 7 And he was ^{▼▼Or proclaiming}preaching, saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to bend down and untie the straps 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 ^oIn those days Jesus ^pcame from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And 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 from the heavens: “ ^rYou are My beloved Son; in You I ^{▼▼Or delight}am well pleased.”

12 ^tAnd immediately the Spirit *brought Him out into the wilderness. 13 And He was in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by ^uSatan; and He was with the wild animals, and the angels were serving Him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

14 ^vNow after John was ^{▼▼Lit handed over}taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, ^{▼▼Or proclaiming
,} ^ypreaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “ ^zThe time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God ^{▼▼Lit has come near}is at hand; ^abrepent and ^{▼▼Or put your trust in}believe in the gospel.”

16 ^adAs He was going along 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 have you become fishers of people.” 18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 19 And going on a little farther, He saw ^{▼▼Or Jacob}James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, ^{▼▼Lit also them in}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 men, and went away ^{▼▼Lit after Him}to follow Him.

21 ^ahThey *went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath Jesus ^aientered the synagogue and began to teach. 22 And ^ajthey 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, “ ^akWhat ^{▼▼Lit What to us and to You (an ancient idiom)}business do you have with us, Jesus ^{▼▼Or the Nazarene}of ^anNazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are: ^aothe Holy One of God!” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 After throwing him into convulsions and crying out with a loud voice, the unclean spirit came out of him. 27 And they were all ^apamazed, so 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 region of Galilee.

Crowds Healed

29 ^aqAnd immediately after they left ^arthe synagogue, they entered 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 they immediately *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 served them.

32 Now ^auwhen evening came, ^avafter the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were ^awdemon-possessed. 33 And the whole ^axcity had gathered at the door. 34 And He ^ayhealed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew ^{▼▼Lit Him}who He was.

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

40 ^bfAnd a man with ^{▼▼I.e., leprosy or a serious, unspecified disease, and so throughout the ch; see Lev 13}leprosy *came to ^{▼▼Lit Him}Jesus, imploring Him and ^bikneeling down, and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out with His hand and touched him, and *said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42 And 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, “ ^bjSee that you say nothing to anyone; but ^bkgo, show yourself to the priest and ^bloffer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to ^bmproclaim it ^{▼▼Lit much}freely and to ^bospread 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 ^brthey were coming to Him from everywhere.