Mark 1
1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ the Son of God.
([This is/I want to tell you]) the good message about Jesus Christ, the Son of God (OR, the man who was also God). [What I want to tell you] begins just like the prophet Isaiah [said it would begin, when] he wrote [these words that God said to Jesus: ] Listen! I am sending my messenger ahead of you. He will prepare [people for] your [coming].
2 As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet, "See, I am sending My messenger before Thee, Who will prepare Thy way";
3 "The voice of one crying aloud: 'In the Desert prepare a road for the Lord: Make His highways straight.'"
He will call out to people [who pass by where he is] in the desolate area, “As people improve and straighten out pathways [before an important official arrives] [MET], make [yourselves] ready [DOU] [in order that you will be prepared when] the Lord [comes].”
4 So John the Baptizer came, and was in the Desert proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for forgiveness of sins.
[The messenger that Isaiah predicted was] John. [People called him] ‘The Baptizer’. In the desolate area near the Jordan River he kept telling people, “If you want God to forgive you for having sinned, you must turn away from your sinful behavior [before you ask me to] baptize [you].”
5 There went out to him people of all classes from Judaea, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem of all ranks, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, making open confession of their sins.
A great number [HYP] of people who lived in Jerusalem [city] and [elsewhere] in the Judea [district] were going out to where John was. There, [after hearing John’s message], they [responded by] confessing the sinful things [that they had done]. Then they were being baptized by John {John was baptizing them} in the Jordan River.
6 As for John, his garment was of camel's hair, and he wore a loincloth of leather; and his food was locusts and wild honey.
John wore [rough] clothes made of camel’s hair. And [as the prophet Elijah had done], he wore a leather belt around his waist; and what he ate was [only] grasshoppers and honey [that he found] in that desolate area.
7 His announcement was, "There is One coming after me mightier than I--One whose sandal-strap I am unworthy to stoop down and unfasten.
He was preaching, “Very shortly a man will come who is very great. I [am nothing compared to him. Because he is so superior to me], I am not even worthy to [serve him like a slave] by stooping down and untying his sandals.
8 I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
I used [only] water when I baptized you [because you said that you wanted to change your lives], but he will put his Holy Spirit [within] you [to truly change your lives].”
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan;
During that time [when John was preaching], Jesus came from Nazareth [town], which is in Galilee [district]. He went to [where John was preaching] and he was baptized by John {John baptized him} in the Jordan [River].
10 and immediately on His coming up out of the water He saw an opening in the sky, and the Spirit like a dove coming down to Him;
Immediately after [Jesus] came up out of the water, he saw heaven opened up [and he saw] the Spirit [of God] descending on himself. He came in the form of a dove.
11 and a voice came from the sky, saying, "Thou art My Son dearly loved: in Thee is My delight."
And [God] [MTY] spoke to him from heaven saying, “You are my Son, whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you.”
12 At once the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the Desert,
(Then/Right away) the Spirit [of God] sent Jesus into the desolate area.
13 where He remained for forty days, tempted by Satan; and He was among the wild beasts, but the angels waited upon Him.
He was there for 40 days. During that time, he was tempted by Satan {Satan tempted him}. There were wild animals [there] also. But angels took care of him.
14 Then, after John had been thrown into prison, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming God's Good News.
Later, after John was put in prison {after [soldiers] put John in prison} [because he had rebuked the governor Herod Antipas for his sins], Jesus went to Galilee [district]. There he was preaching the good message [that came] from God.
15 "The time has fully come," He said, "and the Kingdom of God is close at hand: repent, and believe this Good News.
He was repeatedly saying, “Now is the time when God will begin to rule people’s lives [in a new way]. [So] turn away from your sinful behavior! Believe the good message [in order] ([to belong to him/to become those whose lives he will rule])!”
16 One day, passing along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, throwing their nets in the Lake; for they were fisherman.
[One day], while Jesus was walking along by Galilee Lake, he saw [two men], Simon and Simon’s [younger] brother, Andrew. They were casting their [fishing] net into the lake. They [earned money by] catching [and selling] fish.
17 "Come and follow me," said Jesus, "and I will make you fishers for men."
Then Jesus said to them, “[Just like you have been] gathering fish, come with me and I will [teach] you how to [gather people to become my disciples]” [MET].
18 At once they left their nets and followed Him.
Immediately they abandoned [the work that they were doing with] their nets, and they went with him.
19 Going on a little further He saw James the son of Zabdi and his brother John: they also were in the boat mending the nets, and He immediately called them.
After they had gone on a little further, Jesus saw [two other men], James and James’ [younger] brother, John. They were the sons of [a man named] Zebedee. They were both in a boat mending [fishing] nets.
20 They therefore left their father Zabdi in the boat with the hired men, and went and followed Him.
As soon as Jesus saw them, he told them that [they should leave their work and to come with him]. So they left their father, [who remained] in the boat with the hired servants, and they went away with Jesus.
21 So they came to Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath He went to the synagogue and began to teach.
[Later] Jesus [and those disciples] arrived at Capernaum [town]. On the next (Sabbath/Jewish rest day), after Jesus had entered (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place), he began teaching [the people who had gathered there].
22 The people listened with amazement to His teaching--for there was authority about it: it was very different from that of the Scribes--
They were continually amazed at the way he taught. [He did] not [just teach what others had taught], like the men who teach the [Jewish] laws did. [They habitually just repeated what other people had taught]. Instead, he taught with [his own] authority.
23 when all at once, there in their synagogue, a man under the power of a foul spirit screamed out:
Suddenly, [while he was teaching], a man [appeared] in their worship place who had an evil spirit in him, and he shouted,
24 "What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--God's Holy One."
“Jesus, from Nazareth [town, since] we [evil spirits] have nothing in common with you, ([do not interfere with us]!/what do you want with us [evil spirits]?) [RHQ] (Do not destroy us [now]!/Have you come to destroy us [now]?) [RHQ] I know who you are. I know that you are the holy one [who has come] from God!”
25 But Jesus reprimanded him, saying, "Silence! come out of him."
Jesus rebuked [the evil spirit], saying, “Be quiet! And come out [of the man]!”
26 So the foul spirit, after throwing the man into convulsions, came out of him with a loud cry.
The evil spirit shook the man hard. He screamed loudly, and then he came out of the man [and left].
27 And all were amazed and awe-struck, so they began to ask one another, "What does this mean? Here is a new sort of teaching--and a tone of authority! And even to foul spirits he issues orders and they obey him!"
All [the people who were there] were amazed. As a result, they discussed this among themselves, [exclaiming], “(This is [amazing]!/What is this?) [RHQ] Not only does he teach in a new and authoritative way, but also the evil spirits obey him [when] he commands [them]!”
28 And His fame spread at once everywhere in all that part of Galilee.
The people very soon told [many others] throughout the whole Galilee district what Jesus [had done].
29 Then on leaving the synagogue they came at once, with James and John, to the house of Simon and Andrew.
After they left (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place), [Jesus, Simon and Andrew], along with James and John went directly to Simon and Andrew’s house.
30 Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill in bed with a fever, and without delay they informed Him about her.
Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed because she had a [high] fever. Right away someone told Jesus about her [being sick].
31 So He went to her, and taking her hand He raised her to her feet: the fever left her, and she began to wait upon them.
He went to her, and helped her up by taking hold of her hand. She recovered [at once] from the fever, and then she [got up and] served them [some food].
32 When it was evening, after sunset people came bringing Him all who were sick and the demoniacs;
That evening, after the sun had gone down [and restrictions about travel on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day]) [were ended], some people brought to Jesus many people who were sick and others whose lives evil spirits were controlling.
33 and the whole town was assembled at the door.
[It seemed as though] everyone [HYP, MTY] [who lived in] the town was gathered at the doorway [of Simon’s house].
34 Then He cured numbers of people who were ill with various diseases, and He drove out many demons; not allowing the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
Jesus healed many people who were ill with various diseases. He also expelled many demons [from people]. He did not allow the demons to tell people [about him], because they knew that he [had come from God, and for various reasons he did not want everyone to know that yet].
35 In the morning He rose early, while it was still quite dark, and leaving the house He went away to a solitary place and there prayed.
Jesus got up very early [the next morning] while it was still dark. He left [the house] and went away [from the town] to a place where there were no people. Then he prayed there.
36 And Simon and the others searched everywhere for Him.
Simon and his companions searched for him. When they found him, [wanting him to go back to town to help other people], they said to him,
37 When they found Him they said, "Every one is looking for you."
“[Come back to the town with us, because] many [HYP] people [in Capernaum] are looking for you!”
38 "Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns," He replied, "that I may proclaim my Message there also; because for that purpose I came from God."
He said to them, “[No], let’s go on to the neighboring towns in order that I can preach there also, because the reason that I came [into the world] was to [preach to people] in many places!”
39 And He went through all Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling the demons.
So they went throughout Galilee [district. As they did so, each (Sabbath/Jewish rest day]) he preached in (synagogues/Jewish meeting places). He was also expelling evil spirits [from people].
40 One day there came a leper to Jesus entreating Him, and pleading on his knees. "If you are willing," he said, "you are able to cleanse me."
[One day] a man who had [a bad skin disease called] leprosy came to Jesus. He knelt down in front of Jesus and then he pleaded with him saying, “[Please heal me, because I know] you are able to heal me if you want to!”
41 Moved with pity Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. "I am willing," He said; "be cleansed."
Jesus felt very sorry for him. [So he ignored the religious laws about coming close to people who had that disease]. He reached out his hand and touched the man. Then he said to him, “Since I am willing [to heal you], be healed {I heal you} [now]!”
42 The leprosy at once left him, and he was cleansed.
Immediately the man was healed! He was no longer a leper!
43 Jesus at once sent him away, strictly charging him,
Jesus spoke sternly to him before he sent him away.
44 and saying, "Be careful not to tell any one, but go and show yourself to the Priest, and for your purification present the offerings that Moses appointed as evidence for them."
What Jesus said was, “Go to a local priest and show yourself to him [in order that he may examine you and verify that you are healed]. Then, [after the priest tells the local people], they will know [that you have been healed, and you will be able to associate with them again]. Make sure that you do not tell others [about what happened] Then go to [Jerusalem and take to the priest what Moses commanded that people who have been healed from leprosy should offer, in order that he] may offer it [as a sacrifice to God].”
45 But the man, when he went out, began to tell every one and to publish the matter abroad, so that it was no longer possible for Jesus to go openly into any town; but He had to remain outside in unfrequented places, where people came to Him from all parts.
The man went [and presented himself to the priest. But then] he began to tell many people about [how Jesus had healed him] [DOU]. As a result, Jesus was no longer able to enter any town publicly [because the crowds would surround him]. Instead, he remained outside [the towns] in places [where no people lived]. But people kept coming to him from all over that region.
