Mark 1
1
John the Baptizer
1-3The good news of Jesus Christ—the Message!—begins here, following to the letter the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Watch closely: I’m sending my preacher ahead of you;
He’ll make the road smooth for you.
Thunder in the desert!
Prepare for God’s arrival!
Make the road smooth and straight!
4-6John the Baptizer appeared in the wild, preaching a baptism of life-change that leads to forgiveness of sins. People thronged to him from Judea and Jerusalem and, as they confessed their sins, were baptized by him in the Jordan River into a changed life. John wore a camel-hair habit, tied at the waist with a leather belt. He ate locusts and wild field honey.
7-8As he preached he said, “The real action comes next: The star in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will change your life. I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. His baptism—a holy baptism by the Holy Spirit—will change you from the inside out.”
9-11At this time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. The moment he came out of the water, he saw the sky split open and God’s Spirit, looking like a dove, come down on him. Along with the Spirit, a voice: “You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life.”
God’s Kingdom Is Here
12-13At once, this same Spirit pushed Jesus out into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by Satan. Wild animals were his companions, and angels took care of him.
14-15After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
16-18Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed.
19-20A dozen yards or so down the beach, he saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, he made the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed.
Confident Teaching
21-22Then they entered Capernaum. When the Sabbath arrived, Jesus lost no time in getting to the meeting place. He spent the day there teaching. They were surprised at his teaching—so forthright, so confident—not quibbling and quoting like the religion scholars.
23-24Suddenly, while still in the meeting place, he was interrupted by a man who was deeply disturbed and yelling out, “What business do you have here with us, Jesus? Nazarene! I know what you’re up to! You’re the Holy One of God, and you’ve come to destroy us!”
25-26Jesus shut him up: “Quiet! Get out of him!” The afflicting spirit threw the man into spasms, protesting loudly—and got out.
27-28Everyone there was spellbound, buzzing with curiosity. “What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and tells them to get lost!” News of this traveled fast and was soon all over Galilee.
29-31Directly on leaving the meeting place, they came to Simon and Andrew’s house, accompanied by James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus. He went to her, took her hand, and raised her up. No sooner had the fever left than she was up fixing dinner for them.
32-34That evening, after the sun was down, they brought sick and evil-afflicted people to him, the whole city lined up at his door! He cured their sick bodies and tormented spirits. Because the demons knew his true identity, he didn’t let them say a word.
The Leper
35-37While it was still night, way before dawn, he got up and went out to a secluded spot and prayed. Simon and those with him went looking for him. They found him and said, “Everybody’s looking for you.”
38-39Jesus said, “Let’s go to the rest of the villages so I can preach there also. This is why I’ve come.” He went to their meeting places all through Galilee, preaching and throwing out the demons.
40A leper came to him, begging on his knees, “If you want to, you can cleanse me.”
41-45Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, “I want to. Be clean.” Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: “Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleansing that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people.” But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had happened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.
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Mark 1: MSG
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Mark 1
1
The Preaching of John the Baptist
(Matthew 3.1-12; Luke 3.1-18; John 1.19-28)
1This is the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.#1.1 the Son of God: These words are not in some manuscripts. 2#Ml 3.1. It began just as God had said in the book written by Isaiah the prophet,
“I am sending my messenger
to get the way ready
for you.
3 # Is 40.3 (LXX). In the desert
someone is shouting,
‘Get the road ready
for the Lord!
Make a straight path
for him.’ ”
4So John the Baptist showed up in the desert and told everyone, “Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven.”
5From all Judea and Jerusalem crowds of people went to John. They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.
6 #
2 K 1.8. John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.
7John also told the people, “Someone more powerful is going to come. And I am not good enough even to stoop down and untie his sandals.#1.7 untie his sandals: This was the duty of a slave. 8I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”
The Baptism of Jesus
(Matthew 3.13-17; Luke 3.21,22)
9About that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. 10As soon as Jesus came out of the water, he saw the sky open and the Holy Spirit coming down to him like a dove. 11#Gn 22.2; Ps 2.7; Is 42.1; Mt 3.17; 12.18; Mk 9.7; Lk 3.22. A voice from heaven said, “You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you.”
Jesus and Satan
(Matthew 4.1-11; Luke 4.1-13)
12At once God's Spirit made Jesus go into the desert. 13He stayed there for 40 days while Satan tested him. Jesus was with the wild animals, but angels took care of him.
Jesus Begins His Work
(Matthew 4.12-17; Luke 4.14,15)
14After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee and told the good news that comes from God.#1.14 that comes from God: Or “that is about God.” 15#Mt 3.2. He said, “The time has come! God's kingdom will soon be here.#1.15 will soon be here: Or “is already here.” Turn back to God and believe the good news!”
Jesus Chooses Four Fishermen
(Matthew 4.18-22; Luke 5.1-11)
16As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were fishermen and were casting their nets into the lake. 17Jesus said to them, “Follow me! I will teach you how to bring in people instead of fish.” 18Right then the two brothers dropped their nets and went with him.
19Jesus walked on and soon saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat, mending their nets. 20At once Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father in the boat with the hired workers and went with him.
A Man with an Evil Spirit
(Luke 4.31-37)
21Jesus and his disciples went to the town of Capernaum. Then on the next Sabbath he went into the synagogue and started teaching. 22#Mt 7.28,29. Everyone was amazed at his teaching. He taught with authority, and not like the teachers of the Law of Moses. 23Suddenly a man with an evil spirit#1.23 evil spirit: A Jewish person who had an evil spirit was considered “unclean” and was not allowed to eat or worship with other Jewish people. in him entered the synagogue and yelled, 24“Jesus from Nazareth, what do you want with us? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are! You are God's Holy One.”
25Jesus told the evil spirit, “Be quiet and come out of the man!” 26The spirit shook him. Then it gave a loud shout and left.
27Everyone was completely surprised and kept saying to each other, “What is this? It must be some new kind of powerful teaching! Even the evil spirits obey him.” 28News about Jesus quickly spread all over Galilee.
Jesus Heals Many People
(Matthew 8.14-17; Luke 4.38-41)
29As soon as Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went home with Simon and Andrew. 30When they got there, Jesus was told that Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever. 31Jesus went to her. He took hold of her hand and helped her up. The fever left her, and she served them a meal.
32That evening after sunset,#1.32 after sunset: The Sabbath was over, and a new day began at sunset. all who were sick or had demons in them were brought to Jesus. 33In fact, the whole town gathered around the door of the house. 34Jesus healed all kinds of terrible diseases and forced out a lot of demons. But the demons knew who he was, and he did not let them speak.
35Very early the next morning before daylight, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. 36Simon and the others started looking for him. 37And when they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you!”
38Jesus replied, “We must go to the nearby towns, so that I can tell the good news to those people. This is why I have come.” 39#Mt 4.23; 9.35. Then Jesus went to their synagogues everywhere in Galilee, where he preached and forced out demons.
Jesus Heals a Man
(Matthew 8.1-4; Luke 5.12-16)
40A man with leprosy#1.40 leprosy: In biblical times the word “leprosy” was used for many different kinds of skin diseases. came to Jesus and knelt down.#1.40 and knelt down: These words are not in some manuscripts. He begged, “You have the power to make me well, if only you wanted to.”
41Jesus felt sorry for#1.41 felt sorry for: Some manuscripts have “was angry with.” the man. So he put his hand on him and said, “I want to! Now you are well.” 42At once the man's leprosy disappeared, and he was well.
43After Jesus strictly warned the man, he sent him on his way. 44#Lv 14.1-32. He said, “Don't tell anyone about this. Just go and show the priest that you are well. Then take a gift to the temple as Moses commanded, and everyone will know that you have been healed.”#1.44 everyone will know that you have been healed: People with leprosy had to be examined by a priest and told that they were well (that is, “clean”) before they could once again live a normal life in the Jewish community. The gift that Moses commanded was the sacrifice of some lambs together with flour mixed with olive oil.
45The man talked about it so much and told so many people, that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town. He had to stay away from the towns, but people still came to him from everywhere.
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.