The Temptation of Jesus

1Thena Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil.b 2After He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights,c He was hungry. 3Then the tempter approached Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”d

4But He answered, “It is written:

Man must not live on bread alone

but on every word that comes

from the mouth of God.”e,f

5Then the Devil took Him to the holy city,g had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,h 6and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:

He will give His angelsi orders concerning you,

and they will support you with their hands

so that you will not strike

your foot against a stone.”j, k

7Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”l,m

8Again, the Devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9And he said to Him, “I will give You all these things if You will fall down and worship me.”n

10Then Jesus told him, “Go away,o Satan! For it is written:

Worship the Lord your God,

and serve onlyp Him.”q

11Then the Devil left Him, and immediately angels came and began to serve Him.r

Ministry in Galilee

12When He heard that John had been arrested,s He withdrew into Galilee.t 13He left Nazareth behind and went to live in Capernaumu by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

15Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,

along the sea road, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles!

16The people who live in darkness

have seen a great light,

and for those living in the shadowland of death,

light has dawned.v, w, x

17From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaveny has come near! ”

The First Disciples

18Asz He was walking along the Sea of Galilee,aa He saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, since they were fishermen. 19“Follow Me,” He told them, “and I will make you fish forab people! ” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

21Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and He called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

Teaching, Preaching, and Healing

23Jesus was going all over Galilee,ac teaching in their •synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing everyad disease and sickness among the people.ae 24Then the news about Him spread throughout Syria.af So they brought to Him all those who were afflicted, those suffering from various diseases and intense pains, the demon-possessed, the epileptics, and the paralytics.ag And He healed them. 25Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, •Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.ah