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.
St Mark 1
1
1THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2As it is written in Isaias the prophet: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare the way before thee.
3A voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.
4John was in the desert baptizing, and preaching the baptism of penance, unto remission of sins.
5And there went out to him all the country of Judea, and all they of Jerusalem, and were baptized by him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
6And John was clothed with camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7And he preached, saying: There cometh after me one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
8I have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
9And it came to pass, in those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10And forthwith coming up out of he water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit as a dove descending, and remaining on him.
11And there came a voice from heaven: Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
12And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert.
13And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan; and he was with beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
14And after that John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15And saying: The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.
16And passing by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother, casting nets into the sea (for they were fishermen).
17And Jesus said to them: Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.
18And immediately leaving their nets, they followed him.
19And going on from thence a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were mending their nets in the ship:
20And forthwith he called them. And leaving their father Zebedee in the ship with his hired men, they followed him.
21And they entered into Capharnaum, and forthwith upon the sabbath days going into the synagogue, he taught them.
22And they were astonished at his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes.
23And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24Saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know who thou art, the Holy One of God.
25And Jesus threatened him, saying: Speak no more, and go out of the man.
26And the unclean spirit tearing him, and crying out with a loud voice, went out of him.
27And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying: What thing is this? what is this new doctrine? for with power he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
28And the fame of him was spread forthwith into all the country of Galilee.
29And immediately going out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30And Simon's wife's mother lay in a fit of a fever: and forthwith they tell him of her.
31And coming to her, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32And when it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all that were ill and that were possessed with devils.
33And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34And he healed many that were troubled with divers diseases; and he cast out many devils, and he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him.
35And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.
36And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him.
37And when they had found him, they said to him: All seek for thee.
38And he saith to them: Let us go into the neighbouring towns and cities, that I may preach there also; for to this purpose am I come.
39And he was preaching in their synagogues, and in all Galilee, and casting out devils.
40And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down said to him: If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41And Jesus having compassion on him, stretched forth his hand; and touching him, saith to him: I will. Be thou made clean.
42And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.
43And he strictly charged him, and forthwith sent him away.
44And he saith to him: See thou tell no one; but go, shew thyself to the high priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
45But he being gone out, began to publish and to blaze abroad the word: so that he could not openly go into the city, but was without in desert places: and they flocked to him from all sides.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.