GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New King James Version NKJV
1 This is the beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
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The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 The prophet Isaiah wrote, "I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way for you."
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As it is written in the Prophets: "Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You."
3 "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'"
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"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.' "
4 John the Baptizer was in the desert telling people about a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
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John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
5 All Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.
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Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
6 John was dressed in clothes made from camel's hair. He wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
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Now John was clothed with camel's hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He announced, "The one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to bend down and untie his sandal straps.
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And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose.
8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
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I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan River.
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It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 As Jesus came out of the water, he saw heaven split open and the Spirit coming down to him as a dove.
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And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.
11 A voice from heaven said, "You are my Son, whom I love. I am pleased with you."
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Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
12 At once the Spirit brought him into the desert,
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Immediately the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness.
13 where he was tempted by Satan for 40 days. He was there with the wild animals, and the angels took care of him.
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And He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to Him.
14 After John had been put in prison, Jesus went to Galilee and told people the Good News of God.
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Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 He said, "The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near. Change the way you think and act, and believe the Good News."
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and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
16 As he was going along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.
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And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
17 Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish."
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Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."
18 They immediately left their nets and followed him.
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They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
19 As Jesus went on a little farther, he saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat preparing their nets [to go fishing].
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When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.
20 He immediately called them, and they left their father Zebedee and the hired men in the boat and followed Jesus.
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And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.
21 Then they went to Capernaum. On the next day of worship, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.
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Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.
22 The people were amazed at his teachings. Unlike their scribes, he taught them with authority.
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And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 At that time there was a man in the synagogue who was controlled by an evil spirit. He shouted,
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Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 "What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"
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saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are--the Holy One of God!"
25 Jesus ordered the spirit, "Keep quiet, and come out of him!"
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But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"
26 The evil spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out of him with a loud shriek.
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And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
27 Everyone was stunned. They said to each other, "What is this? This is a new teaching that has authority behind it! He gives orders to evil spirits, and they obey him."
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Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."
28 The news about him spread quickly throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
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And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
29 After they left the synagogue, they went directly to the house of Simon and Andrew. James and John went with them.
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Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever. The first thing they did was to tell Jesus about her.
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But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.
31 Jesus went to her, took her hand, and helped her get up. The fever went away, and she prepared a meal for them.
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So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
32 In the evening, when the sun had set, people brought to him everyone who was sick and those possessed by demons.
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At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.
33 The whole city had gathered at his door.
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And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
34 He cured many who were sick with various diseases and forced many demons out of people. However, he would not allow the demons to speak. After all, they knew who he was.
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Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
35 In the morning, long before sunrise, Jesus went to a place where he could be alone to pray.
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Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
36 Simon and his friends searched for him.
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And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.
37 When they found him, they told him, "Everyone is looking for you."
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When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."
38 Jesus said to them, "Let's go somewhere else, to the small towns that are nearby. I have to spread [the Good News] in them also. This is why I have come."
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But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."
39 So he went to spread [the Good News] in the synagogues all over Galilee, and he forced demons out of people.
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And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
40 Then a man with a serious skin disease came to him. The man fell to his knees and begged Jesus, "If you're willing, you can make me clean."
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Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."
41 Jesus felt sorry for him, reached out, touched him, and said, "I'm willing. So be clean!"
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Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."
42 Immediately, his skin disease went away, and he was clean.
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As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.
43 Jesus sent him away at once and warned him,
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And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once,
44 "Don't tell anyone about this! Instead, show yourself to the priest. Then offer the sacrifices which Moses commanded as proof to people that you are clean."
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and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
45 When the man left, he began to talk freely. He spread his story so widely that Jesus could no longer enter any city openly. Instead, he stayed in places where he could be alone. But people still kept coming to him from everywhere.
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However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.
GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.