Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [son of God]. 2 As it has been written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 a voice crying in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths,”[fn]The first part of this composite quotation seems to merge Exodus 23:20 and Malachi 3:1, the second part is from Isaiah 40:3. If we add them together, they speak both of judgment against the temple and of a redemption for Israel comparable to the exodus and the return from exile.[/fn] 4 there was John baptising in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins; 5 and all the Judean country and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptised by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist and eating locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached saying, “The one stronger than me comes after me, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to bend down and untie. 8 I baptised you in water, but he will baptise you in a holy spirit.
9 And it happened in those days that Jesus came from Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John, 10 and immediately ascending from the water he saw the heavens split open and the Spirit as a dove descending to him; 11 and there was a voice from the heavens: “You are my Son, the beloved, with you I was well pleased.”[fn]Despite the reference to “my Son,” which may derive from Psalm 2:7, this essentially identifies Jesus with the anointed servant of the Lord of Isaiah 42:1: “is my servant; I will lay hold of him; Israel is my chosen; my soul has accepted him; I have put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth judgment to the nations.”[/fn]
12 And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness; 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days being tested by the satan, and he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
14 After John was delivered over, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God 15 and saying that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near; repent and believe in the gospel.[fn]It is important to grasp the point that this is not a “gospel” of personal salvation. This is a public announcement to Israel—and only to Israel—about a future divine action that will profoundly impact and irrevocably change the nation.[/fn]
16 Passing beside 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, “Come! Behind me, and I will make you to become fishermen of people.” 18 And immediately leaving the nets they followed him. 19 And having gone on a little he saw James (the son) of Zebedee and John his brother and them in the boat mending the dictates, 20 and immediately he called them, and leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired-labourers they went away after him.
21 And they went into Capernaum; and immediately on the Sabbath going into the synagogue he taught. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching; for he was teaching them as having authority and not as the scribes.
23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man in an unclean spirit and he cried out 24 saying, “What to us and you,[fn]The idiom presumably means something like “What do you want with us?”[/fn] Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the holy one of God.” 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him from him.” 26 And convulsing him and crying out in a great voice the unclean spirit came out from him. 27 And all were amazed so that they argued among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority; and he commands the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
28 And the report of him came out immediately everywhere to all the surrounding-region of Galilee. 29 And immediately having come out from the synagogue they came to the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. 30 The mother-in-law of Simon as lying feverish, and immediately they spoke to him about her, 31 and having come he raised her up having taken the hand, and the fever left her, and she was serving them.
32 With evening having come, when the sun went down, they were bringing to him all those who were sick and the demon-possessed; 33 and all the city was gathered at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons and he was not permitting the demons to speak because they had known him.
35 And having got up in the morning when it was very dark, he came out and went away into a desolate place and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and they say to him that “all are seeking you.” 38 And he says to them, “Let us go elsewhere to the neighbouring cities in order that I may preach there, for for this reason I came out.
39 And he came preaching in their synagogues in all Galilee and casting out demons. 40 And a leper comes to him urging him [and kneeling] and saying to him that “if you will, you can make me clean.” 41 And moved with compassion, having stretched out his hand, he touched and says to him, “I will, be made clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy went away from him and he was made clean. 43 And having warned him, he immediately sent him away 44 and says to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, showing yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as a witness to them. 45 But having gone out, he began to proclaim many things and to spread around the word, so that he could no longer openly enter into a city but was outside in desolate places, and they were coming to him from everywhere.
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