John the Baptist Prepares the Way
In the fifteenth year of the reign of aTiberius Caesar, bPontius Pilate cbeing governor of Judea, and dHerod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during athe high priesthood of Annas and bCaiaphas, cthe word of God came to dJohn the son of Zechariah in ethe wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming aa baptism of repentance bfor the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in athe book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
b“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
c‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
5 aEvery valley shall be filled,
band every mountain and hill shall be made low,
cand the crooked shall become straight,
and the rough places shall become level ways,
6 aand all flesh shall see bthe salvation of God.’”
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, a“You brood of bvipers! Who warned you to flee from cthe wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits ain keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, b‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from cthese stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. aEvery tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the crowds asked him, a“What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, a“Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 aTax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, bwhat shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, a“Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, awhat shall we do?” And he said to them, b“Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your cwages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, awhether he might be bthe Christ, 16 aJohn answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but bhe who is mightier than I is coming, cthe strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you dwith the Holy Spirit and efire. 17 His awinnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to bgather the wheat into his barn, cbut the chaff he will burn with dunquenchable fire.”
18 So awith many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. 19 But aHerod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that ahe locked up John in prison.
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when aJesus also had been baptized and was praying, bthe heavens were opened, 22 and athe Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and ba voice came from heaven, c“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
23 Jesus, awhen he began his ministry, was about bthirty years of age, being cthe son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, athe son of Zerubbabel, the son bof Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of aNathan, the son of David, 32 athe son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 athe son of Jacob, bthe son of Isaac, cthe son of Abraham, dthe son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
The Temptation of Jesus
aAnd Jesus, bfull of the Holy Spirit, creturned from the Jordan and was led dby the Spirit in the wilderness 2 for aforty days, bbeing tempted by the devil. aAnd he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, che was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are athe Son of God, command bthis stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, a“It is written, b‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” 5 aAnd the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you aI will give all this authority and their glory, afor it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, a“It is written,
b“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and chim only shall you serve.’”
9 aAnd he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are bthe Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,
a“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’
11 and
a“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”
12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, a‘You shall not bput the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him auntil an opportune time.
Jesus Begins His Ministry
14 aAnd Jesus returned bin the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and ca report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And ahe taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
16 aAnd he came to bNazareth, where he had been brought up. And cas was his custom, dhe went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up eto read. 17 And athe scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 a“The Spirit of the Lord bis upon me,
because he has anointed me
to cproclaim good news to the poor.
dHe has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and erecovering of sight to the blind,
fto set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 ato proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and asat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were bfixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today athis Scripture bhas been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at athe gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, b“Is not this cJoseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, a‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did bat Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, ano prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when athe heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them abut only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And athere were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, bbut only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and adrove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But apassing through their midst, he went away.
Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Demon
31 aAnd he bwent down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And che was teaching them don the Sabbath, 32 and athey were astonished at his teaching, afor his word possessed authority. 33 And ain the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! aWhat have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? bI know who you are—cthe Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus arebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And athey were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? aFor with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And areports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
Jesus Heals Many
38 aAnd he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now bSimon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and arebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and ahe laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 aAnd demons also came out of many, bcrying, “You are cthe Son of God!” But he rebuked them and awould not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was dthe Christ.
Jesus Preaches in Synagogues
42 aAnd when it was day, he departed and went binto a desolate place. And cthe people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, a“I must bpreach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching ain the synagogues of Judea.