"I send my messenger before you and he will make Your way ready. He will be a voice calling in the wilderness, 'Make the Lord's way ready, and make His roads straight!'"

John came and baptized people in the wilderness. He preached a baptism of turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. All the people from Judea and Jerusalem went to him. He baptized them in the Jordan River, when they confessed their sins. John wore clothes made from camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and honey. He preached, "There is a Person Who is more powerful than I am. He will come later. I am not good enough to even bend down and take off His shoes. I baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

Jesus is Baptized and is Tested

Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, then, and John baptized Him in the Jordan River. Jesus came up from the water immediately and He saw the sky open, and the Spirit of God coming down on Him like a dove. A voice from the sky said, "You are My dear Son. I love You, and You have pleased Me very much."

The Spirit of God sent Him into the wilderness immediately. He was in the wilderness for 40 days, and Satan tested Him. He was with the wild animals, but the angels served Him and helped Him.

Jesus Chooses His First Followers

Jesus came to Galilee after John was put in prison. He preached the good news about God and said, "The time has come for the kingdom of God to be near. So, turn away from your sins and believe in the good news."

Jesus saw Simon and his brother, Andrew, throw a fishing net into the Sea of Galilee as He walked near them. They were fishermen. Jesus said to them, "Come and follow Me, and I will change you into men who fish for people." They went away from their nets immediately and followed Him. Jesus saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, as He walked a little farther. They were also in the boat making their nets ready for fishing. Jesus called them immediately, and they went away from their father, who was in the boat with the workers, and they followed Him.

Jesus Orders an Evil Spirit to Leave

Jesus and His followers went to Capernaum and He went immediately into the synagogue and taught on the Sabbath Day. The people were full of wonder because of His teaching. He taught them like a person who had authority, and not like the teachers of the religious law.

A man who had an evil spirit inside him was in their synagogue then, and he called out, "Jesus of Nazareth, why do You want us? Have You come to destroy us? I know Who You are. You are the Holy One from God!"

Jesus ordered the evil spirit, "Be quiet and come out from him!" The evil spirit caused the man to shake violently, and it shouted with a loud voice, and came out from him. All the people were full of wonder and they asked each other questions.

They said, "What is this? It is a new teaching, with authority! He orders even the evil spirits to come out from people and they obey Him!"

News about Him went everywhere immediately into all the places near Galilee .

Jesus Heals Many People

The people went to Simon and Andrew's house with James and John, after they came out of the synagogue. The mother of Simon's wife was sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her immediately. He came and took her hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she served them.

They brought all the people who were sick and the people who were controlled by evil spirits to Jesus that evening, after the sun went down. All the people in the city came together at the door of the house. Jesus healed many of them who were sick with many kinds of diseases, and He ordered many evil spirits to leave. He would not let the evil spirits speak, because they knew who He was.

Jesus Travels in Galilee

Jesus got up very early in the morning while it was still dark, and He went out from the house and went to pray at a place where there were no people. Simon and the people who were with him went to look for Jesus. They found Him and said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."

He said to them, "Let's go to other places in towns near here, so I can preach there also, because this is why I came." He went into their synagogues everywhere in Galilee, and He preached and ordered evil spirits to come out from people.

Jesus Heals a Sick Man

A leper came to Jesus, and went down on his knees in front of Him. The man begged Him, "You can make me clean if You want to." Jesus was filled with love and mercy, so He reached out His hand and touched the leper and said to him, "I want to, so be made clean." The leprosy went away from the man immediately and he was made clean. Jesus sent him away immediately and ordered him strongly, "Do not say anything to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest. Offer the things that Moses commanded for a leper to be judged clean. This will prove to them that you are clean." But he went out and began to talk much about it. He told people everywhere he went about what happened. So, Jesus could not go into a city any longer. He stayed outside the cities, away from people, but they still came to Him from everywhere.