The Mission of John the Baptist
Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34
1The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.+ 2As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:+ 3the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’”+ 4John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.+ 5All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.+ 6John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.+ 7He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.+ 8I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”+ 9In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.+ 10Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.+ 11A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”+The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus
12Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.+ 13He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him.+ 14Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom,+ 15and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.”+The First Disciples
Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42
16Passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.+ 17Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.”+ 18Immediately they left their nets, and followed him.+ 19Going on a little further from there, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John, his brother, who were also in the boat mending the nets.+ 20Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.+Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit
21They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught.+ 22They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes.+ 23Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out,+ 24saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”+ 25Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” + 26The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.+ 27They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!”+ 28The report of him went out immediately everywhere into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area.+Jesus Heals at Peter’s House
29Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.+ 30Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her.+ 31He came and took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.+ 32At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick, and those who were possessed by demons.+ 33All the city was gathered together at the door.+ 34He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. He didn’t allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.+Jesus Prays and Preaches
35Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.+ 36Simon and those who were with him followed after him; 37and they found him, and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”+ 38He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.”+ 39He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.+The Leper’s Prayer
Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16
40A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.”+ 41Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.”+ 42When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.+ 43He strictly warned him, and immediately sent him out,+ 44and said to him, “See you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.”+ 45But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places: and they came to him from everywhere.+