The Gospel According to St. Mark

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 1 -

(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34)

This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.(a)

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:(b) “Behold, I will send My messenger ahead of You, who will prepare Your way.”(c)

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”(d)

John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

And he began to proclaim: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

I baptize you with water,(e) but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.(f)”

In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw

(g)

the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.

And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus

(Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15)

At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness,

and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.

After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.(h)

“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

The First Disciples

(Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42)

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

And at once they left their nets and followed Him.

Going on a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets.

Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit

(Luke 4:31–37)

Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.

The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue:

“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”

At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.

All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”

And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House

(Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41)

As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.

Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her.

So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening, after sunset, people brought to Jesus all who were sick and demon-possessed,

and the whole town gathered at the door.

And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

Jesus Prays and Preaches

(Luke 4:42–44)

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and slipped out to a solitary place to pray.

Simon and his companions went to look for Him,

and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”

But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”

So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

The Leper’s Prayer

(Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16)

Then a leper

(i)

came to Jesus, begging on his knees: “If You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Moved with compassion,(j) Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”

And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed.

Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning:

“See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”(k)

But the man went out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news. Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places. Yet people came to Him from every quarter.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 SBL and WH the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

(b)1:2 BYZ and TR in the prophets:

(d)1:3 Isaiah 40:3 (see also LXX)

(e)1:8 Or in water

(f)1:8 Or in the Holy Spirit

(g)1:10 Or he saw; see John 1:32–33

(h)1:14 BYZ and TR the gospel of the kingdom of God

(i)1:40 A leper was one afflicted with a skin disease. See Leviticus 13.

(j)1:41 SBL Moved with indignation

(k)1:44 See Leviticus 14:1–32.

(Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34)

The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

As it is written in the prophets, “Behold,(a) I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:(b)

the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’”(c)

John came baptizing(d) in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.

All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.

John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.

He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.

I baptized you in

(e)

water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”

In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus

(Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15)

Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.

He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.

Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom,

and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”

The First Disciples

(Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42)

Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.

Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”

Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.

Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.

Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit

(Luke 4:31–37)

They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.

They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.

Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,

saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!”

Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”

The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!”

The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House

(Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41)

Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.

He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately,(f) and she served them.

At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons.

All the city was gathered together at the door.

He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus Prays and Preaches

(Luke 4:42–44)

Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.

Simon and those who were with him searched for him.

They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”

He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”

He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.

The Leper’s Prayer

(Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16)

A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”

Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”

When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean.

He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out,

and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”

But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.

Footnotes

(a)1:2 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(b)1:2 ℘ Malachi 3:1

(d)1:4 or, immersing

(e)1:8 The Greek word (en) translated here as “in” could also be translated as “with” in some contexts.

(f)1:31 NU omits “immediately”.