1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you: 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’” 4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5 All 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. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8 I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” 9 In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness. 13 He was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were serving him. 14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Good News of God’s Kingdom, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.” 16 Passing 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. 17 Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you into fishers for men.” 18 Immediately they left their nets, and followed him. 19 Going 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. 20 Immediately he called them, and they left their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him. 21 They went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 Immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, 24 saying, “Ha! What do we have to do with you, Jesus, you Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What can this new doctrine be? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him!” 28 The report of him went out immediately into all the region of Galilee and its surrounding area. 29 Immediately, when they had come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 He came and took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her immediately, and she served them. 32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by demons. 33 All the city was gathered together at the door. 34 He 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. 35 Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. 36 Simon and those who were with him searched for him. 37 They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” 39 He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons. 40 A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” 41 Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” 42 When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. 43 He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, 44 and said to him, “See that 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.” 45 But 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. People came to him from everywhere.
Mark · World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Mark 1 World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- "World English Bible" is a trademark of eBible.org; the text is shown unaltered.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Zebedee
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 John 5:11–12; Matthew 4:3; Matthew 3:17; John 20:31; Matthew 17:5
- 2 Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:76; Matthew 11:10; Matthew 3:1–11; Luke 1:15–17
- 3 Isaiah 40:3–5; Matthew 3:3; Luke 3:4–6; John 3:28–36; John 1:15
- 4 Acts 19:3–4; Matthew 3:6; Acts 13:24–25; John 3:23; Matthew 3:1–2
- 5 Leviticus 26:40–42; Acts 19:18; Matthew 3:5–6; Acts 2:38; Matthew 4:25
- 6 2 Kings 1:8; Leviticus 11:22; Zechariah 13:4; Matthew 3:4
- 7 Acts 13:25; Luke 3:16; John 1:27; Matthew 3:11; Luke 7:6–7
- 8 Acts 1:5; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 19:4–6; Acts 2:4; Acts 10:45
- 9 Matthew 3:13–17; Matthew 2:23; Luke 3:21–22
- 10 John 1:31–34; Luke 3:22; Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 64:1; Matthew 3:16
- 11 Isaiah 42:1; Mark 9:7; Matthew 3:17; Psalm 2:7; Colossians 1:13
- 12 Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13
- 13 Hebrews 2:17–18; Hebrews 4:15; Exodus 34:28; Matthew 26:53; 1 Kings 19:5–8
- 14 Matthew 4:23; Matthew 4:12; Luke 8:1; Matthew 9:35; Ephesians 2:17
- 15 Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:36–38; Acts 20:21; Ephesians 1:10
- 16 Matthew 4:18–22; John 1:40–42; John 6:8; Luke 6:14; Mark 3:16
- 17 Luke 5:10; Matthew 4:19–20; Acts 2:38–41; Ezekiel 47:10
- 18 Luke 18:28–30; Philippians 3:8; Luke 14:33; Matthew 19:27–30; Mark 10:28–31
- 19 Matthew 4:21; Acts 1:13; Mark 9:2; Acts 12:2; Mark 10:35
- 20 Luke 14:26; Mark 10:29; Matthew 10:37; Matthew 8:21–22; 2 Corinthians 5:16
- 21 Mark 6:2; Mark 1:39; Matthew 4:23; Acts 13:14–52; Acts 17:2
- 22 Matthew 7:28–29; Matthew 13:54; Luke 4:32; John 7:46; Luke 21:15
- 23 Mark 9:25; Mark 1:34; Mark 5:2; Matthew 12:43; Mark 7:25
- 24 James 2:19; Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:34; Acts 3:14; Revelation 3:7
- 25 Mark 1:34; Mark 3:11–12; Luke 4:41; Acts 16:17; Mark 9:25
- 26 Mark 9:26; Mark 9:20; Luke 11:22; Luke 9:39; Luke 9:42
- 27 Mark 7:37; Luke 9:1; Matthew 15:31; Matthew 9:33; Luke 4:36
- 28 Matthew 9:31; Luke 4:37; Micah 5:4; Matthew 4:24; Mark 1:45
- 29 Matthew 8:14–15; Luke 4:38–39; Mark 1:21; Luke 9:58; Mark 1:23
- 30 1 Corinthians 9:5; John 11:3; Mark 5:23; James 5:14–15
- 31 Acts 9:41; Psalm 103:1–3; Psalm 116:12; Luke 8:2–3; Mark 5:41
- 32 Matthew 8:16; Luke 4:40; Matthew 4:24; Mark 3:2; Mark 1:21
- 33 Mark 1:5; Acts 13:44
- 34 Luke 4:41; Mark 3:12; Acts 16:16–18; Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:25
- 35 Luke 6:12; Luke 5:16; Luke 22:39–46; Ephesians 6:18; Psalm 5:3
- 37 John 12:19; Zechariah 11:11; John 3:26; Mark 1:5; John 11:48
- 38 Luke 4:43; Isaiah 61:1–3; John 17:8; John 17:4; Luke 4:18–21
- 39 Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:21; Luke 4:41; Luke 4:43–44; Mark 7:30
- 40 Luke 5:12–14; Matthew 8:2–4; Leviticus 13:1–14; 2 Samuel 3:29; Matthew 17:14
- 41 Matthew 9:36; Hebrews 4:15; Luke 7:12–13; Mark 5:41; Hebrews 2:17
- 42 John 15:3; Matthew 15:28; Psalm 33:9; John 4:50–53; Mark 1:31
- 43 Matthew 9:30; Mark 3:12; Mark 7:36; Luke 8:56; Mark 5:43
- 44 Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:4; Luke 17:14; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Romans 15:4
- 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).
… 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, …
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)
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)
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)
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 …