4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness, and preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  5 And all the country of Judah and the people of Jerusalem went out to him, and they were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.  6 And John wore a robe of camel's hair, and a girdle of leather about his loins, and ate locusts and wild honey.  7 And he preached, saying, 'He who is mightier than I am is coming after me, from whom I am not worthy, stooping down, to untie the strap of his shoe;  8 I have baptized you with water, and he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

     9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  10 And as he came up out of the water, straightway John saw the heavens being opened, and the Spirit coming down upon him like a dove.  11 And a voice came from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

     E-12 Immediately after that, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness.  13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the beasts; and the angels ministered to him.

     14 And after John had been betrayed, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand, 'Repent and believe in the gospel.'

     16 And as he passed by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen.  17 And Jesus said to them, 'Follow me, and I will cause you to be fishers of men.'  18 And straightway they left their nets, and followed him.  19 And when he had gone a little thence, he saw James of Zebedee, and John his brother, also in the boat, mending the nets;  20 And straightway he called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the laborers, and followed him.

     21 And they come to Capernaum; and soon afterwards on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught.  22 And they were amazed at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.  23 In their synagogue there was a man possessed of an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24 Leave it alone! what have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? You have come to destroy us! I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God.  25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be silent and come out of him.'  26 Then the unclean spirit shook him, and cried out with a loud voice, and went out of him.  27 And they were all terrified, so that they asked one another, What is this? what is this new doctrine, that He commands even unclean spirits with authority, and they obey Him?  28 And soon the fame of him spread throughout all the country round about in Galilee.

     29 And they went out of the synagogue a long time after, and came to the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  30 And Simon's mother-in-law lay in a fever; and immediately they speak to Him about it.  31 And when he came up, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and the fever immediately left her, and she began to serve them.  32 And when evening came, when the sun was setting, they brought unto him all that were sick and possessed by demons.  33 And all the city gathered to the doors.  34 And he healed many who were afflicted with divers diseases; cast out many demons, and did not allow the demons to say that they knew that He was the Christ.

     35 And in the morning, rising up very early, he went out and withdrew into a desert place, and there he prayed.  36 Simon and those who were with him went after him, 37 and when they found him, they said to him, 'All are looking for you.'  38 And he saith unto them, Let us go into the villages and cities that are near, that I may preach there also, for this I have come.  39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out demons.

     40 A leper came to him, and beseeched him, and fell on his knees before him, and said to him, 'If thou wilt, thou canst cleanse me.'  41 And Jesus, having compassion on him, stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, 'I will, be cleansed.'  42 And after these words the leprosy immediately departed from him, and he became clean.  43 And having looked at him sternly, straightway he sent him away, 44 and said to him, 'See that you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded for a witness to them.'  45 And he went out, and began to proclaim and tell what had happened, so that Jesus could no longer enter into the city openly, but was outside, in the wilderness. And they came to Him from everywhere. 

2

     1 And it came to pass, after a few days, that he came again to Capernaum; and it was heard that he was in the house.  2 Immediately many were assembled, so that there was no room at the door; and he spoke a word to them.  3 And they came to him with the paralytic, who was carried by four;  4 And not being able to draw near to him because of the multitude, they opened the roof of the house where he was, and having dug through it, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay.  5 Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Child! thy sins are forgiven thee.  6 And there sat some of the scribes, and thought in their hearts, 7 Why does he thus blaspheme? who can forgive sins except God alone?  8 And Jesus, knowing immediately in his spirit that they were thinking thus in themselves, said unto them, Why do ye think thus in your hearts?  9 Which is easier? shall I say to the paralytic, "Thy sins are forgiven?" Or shall I say, Arise, take up thy bed, and walk?  10 But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins, saith unto the paralytic, 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go into thy house.  12 And straightway he arose, and took up the bed, and went out before all, so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, 'Never have we seen anything like this.'

     13 And Jesus went out again to the sea; and all the people went to him, and he taught them.  14 As he passed, he saw Levi Alpheus sitting at the toll-house, and he said to him, 'Follow me.' And he arose and followed Him.  15 And as Jesus reclined in his house, his disciples also reclined with him, and many publicans and sinners: for they were many, and they followed him.  16 And when the scribes and the Pharisees saw that he was eating with tax collectors and sinners, they said to his disciples, 'How is it that he eateth and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?'  17 And when Jesus heard this, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

     18 The disciples of John and the Pharisees fasted. They come to Him and say, "Why do the disciples of John and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"  19 And Jesus said to them, 'Can the sons of the bridal chamber fast when the bridegroom is with them?' As long as the bridegroom is with them, they cannot fast, 20 but the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.  21 No one puts patches of unbleached cloth to old clothes: otherwise the newly sewn will tear off the old, and the hole will be worse.  22 No one pours new wine into old skins: otherwise the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine will leak out, and the skins will be lost. but new wine must be poured into new skins.

     23 And it came to pass on the Sabbath day that he was passing through the fields that had been sown, and his disciples began to pluck the ears of grain by the way.  24 And the Pharisees said to him, 'See what they do on the Sabbath that they ought not to do.'  25 And he said to them, 'Have you never read what David did when he was in need, and he hungered, and those who were with him?'  26 And how did he enter into the house of God under Abiathar the high priest, and eat of the showbread, which no man was to eat except the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?  27 And he said to them, 'The Sabbath is made for man, and not man for the sabbath;  28 Therefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.