Mark 1

King James Version

Full text for Mark Chapter 1

1¶ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

2As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

4John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

5And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

6And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

7And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

8I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

9¶ And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

10And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

11And there came a voice from heaven, [saying], Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

12And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

13And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

14¶ Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15And saying, ‹The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.›

16Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

17And Jesus said unto them, ‹Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.›

18And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

19And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.

20And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

21And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

22And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

23¶ And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,

24Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, ‹Hold thy peace, and come out of him.›

26And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.

27And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine [is] this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

28And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

29¶ And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

30But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

31And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

32And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

33And all the city was gathered together at the door.

34And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

35And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

36And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

37And when they had found him, they said unto him, All [men] seek for thee.

38And he said unto them, ‹Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.›

39And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

40¶ And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

41And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth [his] hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, ‹I will; be thou clean.›

42And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

43And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;

44And saith unto him, ‹See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.›

45But he went out, and began to publish [it] much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Mark chapter one introduces John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus, who is baptized by John and declared the Son of God. Jesus then begins His ministry, calling disciples, teaching with authority, and performing numerous healings and exorcisms throughout Galilee. His fame quickly spreads, though He often seeks solitary places for prayer and continues to preach in various towns.

Medium Summary

Mark 1 opens with the prophetic ministry of John the Baptist, who preaches repentance and baptizes in the wilderness, foretelling the coming of one mightier than himself. Jesus of Nazareth is then baptized by John, where the Spirit descends upon Him like a dove and a voice from heaven proclaims Him God's beloved Son. Following a period of temptation in the wilderness, Jesus commences His public ministry in Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and calling His first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. In Capernaum, Jesus teaches with remarkable authority and casts out an unclean spirit, whose recognition of Him as the Holy One of God further establishes His power. He subsequently heals Simon's mother-in-law and many others afflicted with diseases and devils, demonstrating His divine compassion and authority. Despite His growing fame, Jesus seeks solitude for prayer and expands His preaching and healing ministry throughout all Galilee, culminating in the cleansing of a leper who, despite instructions, spreads the news widely.

Long Summary

Mark's Gospel begins by introducing John the Baptist, fulfilling ancient prophecies as the messenger preparing the way for the Lord. John preaches a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins in the wilderness, attracting many from Judaea and Jerusalem, and declares that one mightier than he will baptize with the Holy Ghost. Jesus arrives from Nazareth and is baptized by John in the Jordan, at which point the heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends upon Him like a dove, and a divine voice proclaims Him the beloved Son. Immediately thereafter, the Spirit drives Jesus into the wilderness for forty days, where He is tempted by Satan and ministered to by angels. Following John's imprisonment, Jesus begins His public ministry in Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and calling people to repent and believe. He calls Simon and Andrew, then James and John, to forsake their fishing nets and become "fishers of men." Entering Capernaum, Jesus teaches in the synagogue with an unprecedented authority that astonishingly affects the people. He then confronts and casts out an unclean spirit, which recognizes Him as "the Holy One of God," causing His fame to spread rapidly. Leaving the synagogue, Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law of a fever, and by evening, a multitude of sick and demon-possessed are brought to Him, all of whom He heals and delivers. Despite the widespread demand for His presence, Jesus withdraws to a solitary place for prayer early in the morning. When found by His disciples, He expresses His purpose to preach in other towns, and subsequently travels throughout Galilee, teaching in synagogues and casting out devils. The chapter concludes with a leper approaching Jesus for healing; moved with compassion, Jesus touches and cleanses him. Jesus strictly charges the man to show himself to the priest and tell no one, but the healed leper disregards this instruction, widely publishing the miracle, which prevents Jesus from openly entering cities and forces Him to remain in desert places, though people still seek Him from all regions.

Core Concepts

  • Preparation for ChristJohn the Baptist's ministry fulfills prophecy, serving as a forerunner to Jesus by preaching repentance and baptizing with water, thereby preparing the hearts of the people for the coming Messiah.
  • Divine AffirmationAt Jesus' baptism, the Holy Spirit descends upon Him like a dove, and a voice from heaven declares Him God's beloved Son, publicly affirming His divine identity and mission.
  • Gospel of the KingdomJesus begins His ministry by proclaiming the "gospel of the kingdom of God," calling for repentance and belief, signifying the inauguration of God's reign through His presence and work.
  • Authority of JesusJesus demonstrates unparalleled authority in His teaching, in casting out unclean spirits, and in healing various diseases, distinguishing His power from that of the scribes and establishing His divine nature.
  • Call to DiscipleshipJesus calls ordinary fishermen—Simon, Andrew, James, and John—to follow Him, transforming them into "fishers of men" and initiating the formation of His inner circle of followers.
  • Healing and ExorcismA significant part of Jesus' early ministry involves healing the sick and casting out devils, showcasing His compassion and power over physical ailments and spiritual forces.
  • Secrecy and FameJesus often commands those He heals or delivers to keep silent about His miracles, yet His fame spreads rapidly, making it difficult for Him to move openly and drawing crowds from all regions.