John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)

3 In those days John the Baptist^(B) came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(C) has come near.” ³ This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

⁴ John’s^(E) clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.^(F) His food was locusts^(G) and wild honey. ⁵ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. ⁶ Confessing their sins, they were baptized^(H) by him in the Jordan River.

⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers!^(I) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(J) 8} Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.^{(K) 9} And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(L) I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.^(M)

¹¹ “I baptize you with^[b] water for repentance.^(N) But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit^(O) and fire.^{(P) 12} His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”^(Q)

The Baptism of Jesus^(R)

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.^{(S) 14} But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

¹⁵ Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

¹⁶ As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened,^(T) and he saw the Spirit of God^(U) descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven^(V) said, “This is my Son,^(W) whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”^(X)

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness^(Y)

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[d](Z) by the devil.^{(AA) 2} After fasting forty days and forty nights,^(AB) he was hungry. ³ The tempter^(AC) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,^(AD) tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[e]”^(AE)

⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city^(AF) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,”^(AG) he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[g]”^(AI)

⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!^(AJ) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[h]”^(AK)

¹¹ Then the devil left him,^(AL) and angels came and attended him.^(AM)

Jesus Begins to Preach

¹² When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison,^(AN) he withdrew to Galilee.^{(AO) 13} Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,^(AP) which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— ¹⁴ to fulfill^(AQ) what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven^(AS) has come near.”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples^(AT)

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee,^(AU) he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter^(AV) and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,”^(AW) Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.^(AX)

²¹ Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.^(AY) They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, ²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.^(AZ)

Jesus Heals the Sick

²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee,^(BA) teaching in their synagogues,^(BB) proclaiming the good news^(BC) of the kingdom,^(BD) and healing every disease and sickness among the people.^{(BE) 24} News about him spread all over Syria,^(BF) and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed,^(BG) those having seizures,^(BH) and the paralyzed;^(BI) and he healed them. ²⁵ Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis,^[j] Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.^(BJ)