The Mission of John the Baptist
(Matthew 3:1–17; Luke 3:1–22; John 1:19–34)

1THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

2as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way.

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

4John was immersing in the wilderness, and preaching the immersion of repentance in order to the remission of sins. 5And all the country of Judea and the inhabitants of Jerusalem went out to him, and were all immersed by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6And John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a girdle of leather around his loins, and he ate locusts and wild honey: 7and he preached, saying: There comes after me One mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8I immerse you in water; but he will immerse you in the Holy Spirit.

9And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was immersed by John in the Jordan. 10And immediately on coming up from the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. 11And there was a voice from the heavens: Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I delight.

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus
(Matthew 4:1–17; Luke 4:1–15)

12And immediately the Spirit compelled him to go forth into the wilderness. 13And he was there in the wilderness forty days, to be tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him.

14But after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15and saying: The time has fully come, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe the gospel.

The First Disciples
(Matthew 4:18–22; Luke 5:1–11; John 1:35–42)

16And as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon, and Andrew the brother of Simon, throwing a net about in the sea; for they were fishers.

17And Jesus said to them: Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men. 18And immediately they left 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 he immediately called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit
(Luke 4:31–37)

21And they went into Capernaum; and immediately, on the sabbath, he entered the synagogue, and taught. 22And they were astonished at his teaching; for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes. 23And there was in their synagogue a man who had an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24saying: Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Nazarene? Hast thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Be silent, and come out of him. 26And the unclean spirit threw him into convulsions, and cried with a loud voice, and came out of him. 27And all were amazed, so that they questioned one another, saying: What means this? What new teaching is this, that with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him? 28And his fame immediately went abroad into all the surrounding country of Galilee.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House
(Matthew 8:14–17; Luke 4:38–41)

29And forthwith, having gone out of the synagogue, they went into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now the mother-in-law of Simon lay sick of a fever. And at once they told him of her. 31And he went to her, and took her by the hand, and raised her up, and the fever left her instantly; and she ministered to them.

32And at evening, when the sun had gone down, they brought to him all that were sick, and those who were possessed with demons. 33And the whole city came together to the door. 34And he cured many that were sick of various diseases, and cast out many demons, and did not suffer the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus Prays and Preaches
(Luke 4:42–44)

35And very early in the morning, while it was yet dark, he arose and went out, and departed to a desert place, and there prayed. 36And Simon, and those who were with him, followed after him. 37And when they had found him, they said to him: All are seeking for thee. 38And he said to them: Let us go into the neighboring towns, that I may preach there also; for I have come forth for this purpose. 39And throughout the whole of Galilee he continued to preach in their synagogues, and to cast out demons.

The Leper’s Prayer
(Matthew 8:1–4; Luke 5:12–16)

40And there came to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying to him: If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41And Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and said to him: I will; be clean. 42And when he had spoken, the leprosy immediately departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43And he strictly charged him, and forthwith sent him away, 44and said to him: See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. 45But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to publish the matter abroad, so that he was no longer able to enter a city openly, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.