New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
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The first words of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;
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Even as it is said in the book of Isaiah the prophet, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way;
3 the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,' "
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The voice of one crying in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight;
4 John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
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John came, and gave baptism in the waste land, preaching baptism as a sign of forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were changed.
5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
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And there went out to him all the people of Judaea, and all those of Jerusalem, and they were given baptism by him in the river Jordan, saying that they were sinners.
6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
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And John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey.
7 He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.
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And he said to them all, There is one coming after me who is greater than I, whose shoes I am not good enough to undo.
8 I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
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I have given you baptism with water, but he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit.
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
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And it came about in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was given baptism by John in the Jordan.
10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.
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And straight away, coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens broken open and the Spirit coming down on him as a dove:
11 And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
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And a voice came out of heaven, You are my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased.
12 And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.
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And straight away the Spirit sent him out into the waste land.
13 He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
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And he was in the waste land for forty days, being tested by Satan; and he was with the beasts; and the angels took care of him.
14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
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Now after John had been put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news of God,
15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
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And saying, The time has come, and the kingdom of God is near: let your hearts be turned from sin and have faith in the good news.
16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen.
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And going by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew, the brother of Simon, putting a net into the sea: for they were fishermen.
17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people."
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And Jesus said to them, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.
18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.
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And they went straight from their nets, and came after him.
19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets.
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And going on a little farther, he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who were in their boat stitching up their nets.
20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.
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And he said, Come after me: and they went away from their father Zebedee, who was in the boat with the servants, and came after him.
21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.
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And they came to Capernaum; and on the Sabbath he went into the Synagogue and gave teaching.
22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
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And they were full of wonder at his teaching, because he gave it as one having authority, and not like the scribes.
23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,
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And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he gave a cry,
24 and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."
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Saying, What have we to do with you, Jesus of Nazareth? have you come to put an end to us? I see well who you are, the Holy One of God.
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"
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And Jesus said to him sharply, Be quiet, and come out of him.
26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.
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And the unclean spirit, shaking him violently, and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.
27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."
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And they were all greatly surprised, so that they put questions to one another, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he gives orders even to the unclean spirits, and they do what he says.
28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
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And news of him went out quickly everywhere into all parts of Galilee round about.
29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
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And when they came out of the Synagogue, they went into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once.
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Now Simon's wife's mother was ill, with a burning heat; and they gave him word of her:
31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
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And he came and took her by the hand, lifting her up; and she became well, and took care of their needs.
32 That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.
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And in the evening, at sundown, they took to him all who were diseased, and those who had evil spirits.
33 And the whole city was gathered around the door.
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And all the town had come together at the door.
34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
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And a number, who were ill with different diseases, he made well, and sent out evil spirits; but he did not let the evil spirits say anything, because they had knowledge of him.
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
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And in the morning, a long time before daylight, he got up and went out to a quiet place, and there he gave himself up to prayer.
36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him.
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And Simon and those who were with him came after him.
37 When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you."
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And when they came up with him, they said to him, Everyone is looking for you.
38 He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do."
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And he said to them, Let us go to other parts into the nearest towns, so that I may give teaching there, because for this purpose I came.
39 And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
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And he went into their Synagogues in every part of Galilee, preaching and driving out evil spirits.
40 A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean."
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And a leper came to him and, going down on his knees before him, made a request, saying, If it is your pleasure, you have the power to make me clean.
41 Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose. Be made clean!"
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And being moved with pity, he put out his hand, and touching him said to him, It is my pleasure; be made clean.
42 Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.
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And straight away the disease went from him, and he was made clean.
43 After sternly warning him he sent him away at once,
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And he sent him away, saying to him very sharply,
44 saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
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See that you say nothing to any man: but go and let the priest see you, and make yourself clean by an offering of the things ordered by Moses, for a witness to them.
45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
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But he went out, and made it public, giving an account of it everywhere, so that Jesus was no longer able to go openly into a town, but was outside in the waste land; and they came to him from every part.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.