Mark - Chapter 1

Passage

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I send my angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you. A voice of one crying in the desert: Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight his paths. John was in the desert, baptizing and preaching the baptism of penance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him, and were baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. And John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying: One mightier than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the strap of his sandals. I have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit. And in those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And as soon as he came up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining on him. And there came a voice from heaven: You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased. And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert. And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan. He was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. And after John was handed over, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying: The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel. And passing by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them: Come, follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men. And immediately leaving their nets, they followed him. And going on a little farther from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were also mending their nets in the boat. And at once he called them. And leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, they followed him. And they went into Capernaum, and right away on the sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught them. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. And in their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, Saying: What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Be quiet, and come out of the man. And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. And they were all so amazed that they asked one another: What is this? What is this new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. And the news about him spread at once through all the country of Galilee. And as soon as they left the synagogue, they went into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever, and right away they told him about her. And coming to her, he took her by the hand and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she served them. And when evening came, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and all who were possessed by devils. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were troubled with various diseases, and he cast out many devils; and he did not let them speak, because they knew him. And rising very early, he went out to a desert place, and there he prayed. And Simon and those who were with him followed after him. And when they found him, they said to him: Everyone is looking for you. And he says to them: Let us go into the neighboring towns and cities, so that I may preach there also; for this is why I have come. And he was preaching in their synagogues and in all Galilee and casting out devils. And a leper came to him, begging him, and kneeling down he said to him: If you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him: I will. Be made clean. And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him: and he was made clean. And he strictly warned him and sent him away at once. And he says to him: See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the high priest and offer for your cleansing the things that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. But the man went out and began to proclaim it and spread the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into the city, but stayed outside in desert places. And people came to him from all sides.