Skip to the text

Mark · Bible in Basic English

Mark 1 Bible in Basic English

Leer en español
About BBE
  • Scholarly edition
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew (not verified)
  • NT: Critical text (not verified)
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Simplified language
  • 1965
  • Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 The first words of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 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 in the waste land, Make ready the way of the Lord, make his roads straight; 4 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 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 And John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather band about him; and his food was locusts and honey. 7 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 given you baptism with water, but he will give you baptism with the Holy Spirit. 9 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 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 out of heaven, You are my dearly loved Son, with whom I am well pleased. 12 And straight away the Spirit sent him out into the waste land. 13 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 had been put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the good news of God, 15 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 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, Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. 18 And they went straight from their nets, and came after him. 19 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 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 And they came to Capernaum; and on the Sabbath he went into the Synagogue and gave teaching. 22 And they were full of wonder at his teaching, because he gave it as one having authority, and not like the scribes. 23 And there was in their Synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he gave a cry, 24 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 And Jesus said to him sharply, Be quiet, and come out of him. 26 And the unclean spirit, shaking him violently, and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 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 And news of him went out quickly everywhere into all parts of Galilee round about. 29 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 wife's mother was ill, with a burning heat; and they gave him word of her: 31 And he came and took her by the hand, lifting her up; and she became well, and took care of their needs. 32 And in the evening, at sundown, they took to him all who were diseased, and those who had evil spirits. 33 And all the town had come together at the door. 34 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 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 those who were with him came after him. 37 And when they came up with him, they said to him, Everyone is looking for you. 38 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 into their Synagogues in every part of Galilee, preaching and driving out evil spirits. 40 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 And being moved with pity, he put out his hand, and touching him said to him, It is my pleasure; be made clean. 42 And straight away the disease went from him, and he was made clean. 43 And he sent him away, saying to him very sharply, 44 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 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.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • Zebedee

    Father of James and John

    A fisherman in whose boat his sons James and John were mending nets when Jesus called them; they left him in the boat with the hired men.

    Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:21; Matthew 20:20; Mark 1:20

Cross references (44)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 1 John 5:11–12; Matthew 4:3; Matthew 3:17; John 20:31; Matthew 17:5
  2. 2 Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:76; Matthew 11:10; Matthew 3:1–11; Luke 1:15–17
  3. 3 Isaiah 40:3–5; Matthew 3:3; Luke 3:4–6; John 3:28–36; John 1:15
  4. 4 Acts 19:3–4; Matthew 3:6; Acts 13:24–25; John 3:23; Matthew 3:1–2
  5. 5 Leviticus 26:40–42; Acts 19:18; Matthew 3:5–6; Acts 2:38; Matthew 4:25
  6. 6 2 Kings 1:8; Leviticus 11:22; Zechariah 13:4; Matthew 3:4
  7. 7 Acts 13:25; Luke 3:16; John 1:27; Matthew 3:11; Luke 7:6–7
  8. 8 Acts 1:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 19:4–6; Acts 2:4; Acts 10:45
  9. 9 Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 2:23; Luke 3:21–22
  10. 10 John 1:31–34; Luke 3:22; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 64:1; Matthew 3:16
  11. 11 Isaiah 42:1; Mark 9:7; Matthew 3:17; Psalm 2:7; Colossians 1:13
  12. 12 Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13
  13. 13 Hebrews 2:17–18; Hebrews 4:15; Exodus 34:28; Matthew 26:53; 1 Kings 19:5–8
  14. 14 Matthew 4:23; Matthew 4:12; Luke 8:1; Matthew 9:35; Ephesians 2:17
  15. 15 Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:36–38; Acts 20:21; Ephesians 1:10
  16. 16 Matthew 4:18–22; John 1:40–42; John 6:8; Luke 6:14; Mark 3:16
  17. 17 Luke 5:10; Matthew 4:19–20; Acts 2:38–41; Ezekiel 47:10
  18. 18 Luke 18:28–30; Philippians 3:8; Luke 14:33; Matthew 19:27–30; Mark 10:28–31
  19. 19 Matthew 4:21; Acts 1:13; Mark 9:2; Acts 12:2; Mark 10:35
  20. 20 Luke 14:26; Mark 10:29; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 8:21–22; 2 Corinthians 5:16
  21. 21 Mark 6:2; Mark 1:39; Matthew 4:23; Acts 13:14–52; Acts 17:2
  22. 22 Matthew 7:28–29; Matthew 13:54; Luke 4:32; John 7:46; Luke 21:15
  23. 23 Mark 9:25; Mark 1:34; Mark 5:2; Matthew 12:43; Mark 7:25
  24. 24 James 2:19; Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; Revelation 3:7
  25. 25 Mark 1:34; Mark 3:11–12; Luke 4:41; Acts 16:17; Mark 9:25
  26. 26 Mark 9:26; Mark 9:20; Luke 11:22; Luke 9:39; Luke 9:42
  27. 27 Mark 7:37; Luke 9:1; Matthew 15:31; Matthew 9:33; Luke 4:36
  28. 28 Matthew 9:31; Luke 4:37; Micah 5:4; Matthew 4:24; Mark 1:45
  29. 29 Matthew 8:14–15; Luke 4:38–39; Mark 1:21; Luke 9:58; Mark 1:23
  30. 30 1 Corinthians 9:5; John 11:3; Mark 5:23; James 5:14–15
  31. 31 Acts 9:41; Psalm 103:1–3; Psalm 116:12; Luke 8:2–3; Mark 5:41
  32. 32 Matthew 8:16; Luke 4:40; Matthew 4:24; Mark 3:2; Mark 1:21
  33. 33 Mark 1:5; Acts 13:44
  34. 34 Luke 4:41; Mark 3:12; Acts 16:16–18; Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:25
  35. 35 Luke 6:12; Luke 5:16; Luke 22:39–46; Ephesians 6:18; Psalm 5:3
  36. 37 John 12:19; Zechariah 11:11; John 3:26; Mark 1:5; John 11:48
  37. 38 Luke 4:43; Isaiah 61:1–3; John 17:8; John 17:4; Luke 4:18–21
  38. 39 Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:21; Luke 4:41; Luke 4:43–44; Mark 7:30
  39. 40 Luke 5:12–14; Matthew 8:2–4; Leviticus 13:1–14; 2 Samuel 3:29; Matthew 17:14
  40. 41 Matthew 9:36; Hebrews 4:15; Luke 7:12–13; Mark 5:41; Hebrews 2:17
  41. 42 John 15:3; Matthew 15:28; Psalm 33:9; John 4:50–53; Mark 1:31
  42. 43 Matthew 9:30; Mark 3:12; Mark 7:36; Luke 8:56; Mark 5:43
  43. 44 Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:4; Luke 17:14; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4
  44. 45 Matthew 9:31; Mark 2:13; Psalm 77:11; John 6:2; Luke 5:15–17

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Quotes verse 1:2 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book III, Chapter X)

    … Mark, the interpreter and follower of Peter, does thus commence his Gospel narrative: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, …

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)

  2. Quotes verse 1:24 Augustine of Hippo, The City of God (Book IX, Chapters 18–22)

    The devils themselves knew this manifestation of God so well, that they said to the Lord though clothed with the infirmity of flesh, "What have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us before the time?" From these words, it is clear that they had great knowledge, and no charity.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)

  3. Quotes verse 1:13 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XIII)

    Having then found Him in the wilderness, and in a pathless wilderness (for that the wilderness was such, Mark hath declared, saying, that He "was with the wild beasts" ), behold with how much craft he draws near, and wickedness; and for what sort of opportunity he watches.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)

  4. Quotes verse 1:1 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture III)

    For it saith, The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, &c.: John came baptising in the wilderness.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  5. Quotes verse 1:1 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book III, Chapter XVI)

    Wherefore Mark also says: "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the prophets." Knowing one and the same Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was announced by the prophets, who from the fruit of David's body was Emmanuel, "the messenger of great counsel of the Father;" through whom God caused …

    Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)