Mark 1

1 This is the beginning [start or origin] of the gospel [good news, message of salvation] of Jesus [God is salvation] Christ [the anointed, Messiah], the Son [child, descendant] of God [the one true deity, having divine nature]. word study 2 As it is written [in the prophetic scriptures] in Isaiah [a prophet of God] the prophet: “Behold [see, take notice], I will send [dispatch, commission] My messenger [angel, heavenly envoy] ahead of You, who will prepare [make ready, clear the way] Your way [path, journey].” word study 3 “A voice [of one crying, a loud shout] of one calling [in the desert, a deserted place] in the wilderness [a desolate area], ‘Prepare [make ready, get ready] the way [road, path] for the Lord [God, the supreme authority], make [level] straight [immediately, at once] paths [roads] for Him [He].’” word study 4 John [a messenger of God] the Baptist appeared [came into being, was present] in the wilderness [a deserted, uninhabited area], preaching [proclaiming, heralding] a baptism [ceremonial act of washing, immersion] of repentance [feeling sorry for sin, changing one’s ways] for the forgiveness [pardon, remission] of sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards]. word study 5 People [from all walks of life, everybody] went out to him from all of Jerusalem [the city of peace, the holy city] and the countryside [region, country] of Judea [a southern region of Palestine]. Confessing [acknowledging, agreeing with God about] their sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards], they were baptized [immersed, fully wet] by him in the Jordan River [a significant location, a river of spiritual renewal]. word study 6 John [the Baptist, a prophet] was clothed [dressed, wearing] in camel’s [coarse, rough] hair, with a leather [made of animal skin] belt [girdle, sash] around his waist [loins, hip area]. His food [sustenance, nourishment] was locusts [insects, a type of grasshopper] and wild [uncultivated, natural] honey [a sweet, golden liquid]. word study 7 And he began to proclaim [preach, herald a message]: “After me will come One [who is mightier] more powerful than I, the straps [leather thongs, latchet] of whose sandals I am not worthy [sufficient, competent] to stoop down [bend, humble myself] and untie [loose, release]. word study 8 I [the speaker] baptize [immerse, submerge] you with [in, using] water [literal or figurative], but He [the Messiah] will baptize [fully wet, submerge] you with [in, filled by] the Holy [set apart] Spirit [the divine breath, God’s presence].” word study 9 In those days [at that specific time, during that period] Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] came from Nazareth [a city in Galilee, his hometown] in Galilee [a region in Palestine, his ministry area] and was baptized [immersed, fully wet] by John [the Baptist, a prophet] in the Jordan [a river in Palestine, a place of spiritual significance]. word study 10 As soon as Jesus came up [immediately, without delay] out of the water [baptismal waters], He saw the heavens [the sky, God’s dwelling place] breaking open [splitting apart, torn asunder] and the Spirit [the divine Presence, the Holy Ghost] descending on Him like [in the form of, resembling] a dove [a symbol of peace, innocence]. word study 11 And a voice [sound from heaven, a divine utterance] came from heaven [the sky and God’s dwelling place]: “You [as My Son] are My beloved [dearly loved, cherished] Son [child of God]; in You [as My delight] I am well pleased [completely satisfied, delighted].” word study 12 At once [immediately, right away] the Spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition] drove Jesus [forcefully, sent Him away] into the wilderness [the desert, a deserted place], word study 13 and He was there [in the wilderness, a deserted place] for forty [a period of testing or trial] days, being tempted [tested, tried] by Satan [the adversary, accuser]. He was with the wild animals [beasts, creatures], and the angels [heavenly messengers] ministered [served, attended to His needs] to Him. word study 14 After [following] the arrest [being taken into custody, delivered up] of John [the Baptist, a prophet], Jesus [the Messiah, God’s Son] went into [toward, entered] Galilee [a region in Palestine] and proclaimed [preaching, heralding] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] of [belonging to, from] God [the one true deity, Creator]. word study 15 “The time [season of fulfillment, the right moment] is fulfilled [completed, brought to perfection],” He said, “and the kingdom [reign, dominion] of God [the Almighty, Creator] is near [at hand, approaching]. Repent [turn away from sin, change your mind] and believe [trust, have faith] in the gospel [good news, message of salvation]!” word study 16 As Jesus was walking [passing along, strolling] beside [by, near, alongside] the Sea [large body of water] of Galilee [a region in Palestine], He saw [perceived, noticed] Simon [a Greek name, meaning ‘hearing’] and his brother [male sibling, fellow] Andrew [meaning ‘manly’, a key figure]. They were casting [throwing, launching] a net [a fishing net, used to catch fish] into the sea [the lake, a large body of water], for [because, since] they were fishermen [fishers, those who earn a living by catching fish]. word study 17 “Come [come after me], follow Me,” Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] said, “and I will make [to create, to cause to become] you fishers [hunters, gatherers] of men [human beings, people].” word study 18 And [immediately, straightway] at once they left [released, forsook] their nets [fishing tools, equipment] and followed [accompanied, went after] Him [Jesus, their Master]. word study 19 Going on [from there] a little farther, He saw James [the son of Zebedee, a fisherman] son of Zebedee and his brother John [the Apostle, a disciple of Jesus]. They were in [the ship] a boat, mending [repairing, refitting] their nets [fishing nets, for catching fish]. word study 20 Immediately [at once, without delay] Jesus called [invited, summoned] them, and they left [abandoned, departed from] their father Zebedee [the father of James and John] in the boat [ship, vessel] with the hired men [servants, workers] and followed [went after, accompanied] Him. word study 21 Then Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] and His companions went to Capernaum [a town in Palestine], and right away [immediately, without delay] Jesus entered [to go into, to step into] the synagogue [a gathering place for Jewish worship and instruction] on the Sabbath [a day of rest, the seventh day of the week] and began to teach [to instruct, to guide]. word study 22 The people were astonished [amazed, struck with wonder] at His teaching [doctrine, instruction], because He taught [instructed, guided] as one who had [possessed, exercised] authority [power, freedom to act], and not as the scribes [Jewish law teachers, scholars]. word study 23 Suddenly [right there, in the midst] a man [a human, with a soul] with an unclean [impure, morally defiled] spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition] cried out [yelled, screamed loudly] in the synagogue [the gathering place, a place of worship]: word study 24 “What do You want [have to do] with us, Jesus [Joshua, God’s salvation] of Nazareth [a Nazarene, from the city of Nazareth]? Have You come [arrived, appeared] to destroy [completely ruin, lose] us? I know [perceive, am aware] who You are [exist, have Your being]—the Holy [set apart, sacred] One [unique, singular] of God [the Supreme Deity]!” word study 25 But Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] rebuked [to warn or reprove] the spirit [an evil entity, a demon]. “Be silent [hold thy peace, muzzle]!” He said. “Come out [to go out, depart] of him [from the man, out of this person]!” word study 26 At this, the unclean [morally impure, ceremonially defiled] spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition] threw the man into convulsions [shaking him violently, intense seizures] and came out with a loud [great, intense] shriek [crying with a loud voice, screaming out loud]. word study 27 All the people [every single person, the entire crowd] were amazed [greatly surprised, astonished] and began to ask one another, “What is this [what kind of power, what new thing]? A new [fresh, unprecedented] teaching [doctrine, instruction] with authority [power, freedom to act]! He commands [gives orders to, has power over] even the unclean [impure, evil] spirits, and they obey [listen to, follow] Him [in submission, with reverence]!” word study 28 And the news [report, fame] about Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] spread [went out, was disseminated] quickly [immediately, at once] through [into, throughout] the whole [entire, all] region [area, district] of Galilee [the province, territory around the Sea of Galilee]. word study 29 As soon as [immediately, without delay] Jesus and His companions [disciples, followers] had left [come out from, departed] the synagogue [a gathering place for Jewish worship and instruction], they went [came, traveled] with James and John to the home [house, dwelling place] of Simon [Peter’s brother, an apostle] and Andrew [manly, courageous, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles]. word study 30 Simon’s [the apostle’s] mother-in-law [the mother of his wife] was sick [feverish] in bed [lying down, reclining] with a fever [a high temperature, sickness], and they promptly [immediately] told Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior] about her [concerning her condition]. word study 31 So He went to her, took her by the hand [as a symbol of power and instrument], and helped her up [lifting her, raising her to a new state]. The [fever, high temperature] fever left her [immediately, at once], and she began to serve [attend to their needs] them [as a host, ministering unto them]. word study 32 That evening [at sundown, when the sun did set], after sunset [when the sun had gone down], people brought to Jesus all who were sick [diseased, ill] and demon-possessed [under the power of evil spirits, possessed with devils], word study 33 and the whole [entire, all] town [city, community] gathered [assembled, came together] at the [this, specific] door [entrance, gateway]. word study 34 And He healed [made whole, restored to health] many who were ill [sick, afflicted] with various [diverse, manifold] diseases [sicknesses, infirmities] and drove out [expelled, cast out] many demons [evil spirits, unclean beings]. But He would not allow [permit, suffer] the demons [evil spirits] to speak [utter words, proclaim], because they knew [recognized, perceived] who He was [His true identity, His nature]. word study 35 Early [at dawn, before daybreak] in the morning, while it was still [pitch] dark, Jesus got up [arose, stood up from rest] and slipped out [went away, departed] to a solitary [deserted] place [a specific location, a tract of land] to pray [to worship, communicate with God]. word study 36 Simon [the Apostle, a leader] and his companions [those who were with him, his followers] went to look [search, seek] for Him [the Messiah, Jesus], word study 37 and when they found [discovered, came upon] Him, they said, “Everyone [all men, every person] is looking [seeking, searching] for You [as the Messiah, their Savior]!” word study 38 But Jesus answered, “Let us go on [to other parts, elsewhere] to the neighboring [next, nearby] towns [villages, country towns] so I can preach [proclaim, herald the gospel] there as well [also, too], for that is why [for this purpose, to this end] I have come [come forth, been sent].” word study 39 So He went throughout [all parts of] Galilee, preaching [proclaiming the gospel, heralding the message] in their synagogues [Jewish meeting places, gatherings] and driving out [expelling, casting away] demons [evil spirits, unclean beings]. word study 40 Then a leper [suffering from a serious skin disease, leprous] came to Jesus, begging [pleading, beseeching] on his knees: “If [since, because] You are willing [desire, have the will to], You can [are able, have the power to] make me clean [purify, cleanse me from leprosy].” word study 41 Moved with [deep] compassion [pity, sympathy], Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] reached out His hand [a symbol of power and instrument] and touched [made physical contact, showing intimacy] the man. “I am willing [I desire, I intend to],” He said. “Be [become, be made] clean [to heal, to make whole] [purified, cleansed from sin and disease]!” word study 42 And [as soon as he had spoken] immediately [at once, without delay] the leprosy [a skin disease, uncleanness] left [departed from, went away] him, and [also, in addition] the man [he, the person] was [made, declared] cleansed [purified, made clean, healed]. word study 43 Jesus promptly [with urgency, immediately] sent him away [expelled, thrust out] with a stern [sharp, severe] warning [charge, command]: word study 44 “See that you don’t tell [reveal to, speak of] anyone [no one, nothing]. But go [depart, go away], show [exhibit, present] yourself [your own person] to the priest [one who serves God, a spiritual leader] and present [offer, bring near] the offering [a gift, a sacrifice] Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] prescribed [ordered, commanded] for your cleansing [purification, spiritual renewal], as a testimony [proof, evidence] to them [those who need to know].” word study 45 But the man went out [and began to proclaim it much] and openly began to proclaim [to publish and spread abroad the news] and spread the news [of Jesus’ miracle]. Consequently [as a result, so that], Jesus could no longer enter a town [city, populated area] in plain view [openly, publicly], but He stayed out [remained, was] in solitary [deserted, uninhabited] places [locations, areas]. Yet people came to Him from every quarter [from all sides, direction]. word study