The Mission of John the Baptist (Isaiah 40:1–5; Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34)
3 UDB He will call out to anyone who hears him in the wilderness, 'Make yourselves ready to welcome the Lord.'" BSB BSB: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’”
4 UDB The messenger that Isaiah wrote about was John. People called him "The Baptizer." John was in the wilderness; he was baptizing people and telling them, "Be sorry that you have sinned, and decide to stop it, so that God may forgive you. Then I will baptize you." BSB BSB: John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
5 UDB A great number of people from the district of Judea and the city of Jerusalem went out to the wilderness to hear John speak. Many of those who heard him agreed that they had sinned. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River. BSB BSB: People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.
6 UDB John wore rough clothes made of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate grasshoppers and honey that he found in that wilderness area. BSB BSB: John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
7 UDB He was preaching, "Very shortly one will come who is very great. I am nothing compared to him. I am not even worthy to stoop down and untie his sandals. BSB BSB: And he proclaimed: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
8 UDB I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." BSB BSB: I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
9 UDB During the time when John was preaching, Jesus came from Nazareth, a town in the district of Galilee. He went to where John was preaching, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. BSB BSB: In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 UDB Immediately after Jesus came up out of the water, he saw heaven open up and the Spirit of God descending on himself. The Spirit of God came down like a dove. BSB BSB: As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.
11 UDB God spoke from heaven and said, "You are my Son, the one whom I love dearly. I am very pleased with you." BSB BSB: And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus (Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15)
12 UDB Then the Spirit of God sent Jesus out into the wilderness. BSB BSB: At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness,
13 UDB He was there for forty days. During that time, Satan was tempting him. There were wild animals in that place, and angels were taking care of him. BSB BSB: and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.
15 UDB He was saying, "The time has come at last. God will soon show that he is king. Turn away from your sinful behavior and believe the good news." BSB BSB: “The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”
The First Disciples (Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42)
16 UDB One day, while Jesus was walking along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two men, Simon and Simon's brother Andrew. They were casting their fishing net into the sea. They earned money by catching and selling fish. BSB BSB: As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.
17 UDB Then Jesus said to them, "Just like you have been gathering fish, come with me and I will teach you how to gather people." BSB BSB: “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”
18 UDB Immediately they left their nets, and they went with him. BSB BSB: And at once they left their nets and followed Him.
20 UDB As soon as Jesus saw them, he told them to come with him. So they left their father, who remained in the boat with the hired servants, and they went away with Jesus. BSB BSB: Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.
Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit (Luke 4:31–37)
22 UDB They were amazed at the way he taught. He taught like a teacher who relies on what he himself knows. He did not teach like those who taught the Jewish laws, who repeated the different things that other men had taught. BSB BSB: The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.
23 UDB In the synagogue where Jesus taught, there was a man whom an evil spirit controlled. The man with the evil spirit began shouting, BSB BSB: Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue:
24 UDB "Hey! Jesus from Nazareth! We evil spirits have nothing to do with you! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the Holy One from God!" BSB BSB: “What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 UDB Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, saying, "Be quiet and come out of him!" BSB BSB: But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”
26 UDB The evil spirit shook the man violently. He screamed loudly, and then he came out of the man and left. BSB BSB: At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.
27 UDB All the people who were there were amazed. As a result, they discussed this among themselves, saying, "This is amazing! Not only does he teach in a new and authoritative way, but he also commands the evil spirits and they obey him!" BSB BSB: All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”
28 UDB The people very soon told many others throughout the whole district of Galilee what Jesus had done. BSB BSB: And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.
Jesus Heals at Peter’s House (Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41)
30 UDB Simon's mother-in-law was lying in bed because she had a high fever. Right away someone told Jesus about her being sick. BSB BSB: Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her.
31 UDB Jesus went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. She immediately recovered from the fever and began serving them. BSB BSB: So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.
33 UDB It seemed as though everyone who lived in the town was gathered at the doorway of Simon's house. BSB BSB: and the whole town gathered at the door.
34 UDB Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases. He also forced many evil spirits to come out from people. He did not allow the demons to tell people about him, because they knew that he was the Holy One from God. BSB BSB: And He healed many who were ill with various diseases and drove out many demons. But He would not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
Jesus Prays and Preaches (Luke 4:42–44)
35 UDB 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. BSB BSB: Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray.
36 UDB Simon and his companions searched for him. BSB BSB: Simon and his companions went to look for Him,
37 UDB When they found him they said, "Everyone in town is looking for you." BSB BSB: and when they found Him, they said, “Everyone is looking for You!”
38 UDB He said to them, "We need to go to the neighboring towns so that I can preach there as well. This is the reason I came here." BSB BSB: But Jesus answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns so I can preach there as well, for that is why I have come.”
39 UDB So they went throughout Galilee. As they went, Jesus preached in the synagogues and forced evil spirits to come out from people. BSB BSB: So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
The Leper’s Prayer (Leviticus 14:1–32; Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16)
41 UDB Jesus felt compassion for him. He reached out his hand and touched the man. Then he said to him, "Since I am willing to heal you, be healed!" BSB BSB: Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”
42 UDB Immediately the man was healed! He was no longer a leper! BSB BSB: And immediately the leprosy left him, and the man was cleansed.
43 UDB Jesus gave the man a warning as he was sending him away. BSB BSB: Jesus promptly sent him away with a stern warning:
44 UDB He said, "Do not tell anyone what just happened. Instead, go to a priest and show yourself to him in order that he may examine you and see that you no longer have leprosy. Then make the offering that Moses commanded for people whom God has healed from leprosy. This will be the testimony to the community that you do not have leprosy." BSB BSB: “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses prescribed for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
45 UDB The man did not follow Jesus's instruction. He began telling many people about how Jesus had healed him. As a result, Jesus was no longer able to enter towns publicly because the crowds of people would surround him. Instead, he remained outside the towns in places where no one lived. But people kept coming to him from all over that region. BSB BSB: But the man went out and openly began to proclaim and spread the news. Consequently, Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view, but He stayed out in solitary places. Yet people came to Him from every quarter.