Mark 1 EASY

1. This is the start of the good news about Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God.

2. The prophet Isaiah wrote this message from God in his book: ‘Listen! I will send someone to prepare a way for you. He will tell people my message.

3. His voice will shout in the wilderness: “The Lord will come soon, so prepare a way for him. Make the paths straight for him.” ’

4. So John went to a place in the wilderness. He baptized people and he spoke a message from God. He said to people, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Then God will forgive you and I will baptize you.’

5. Many people who lived in Jerusalem and in the country of Judea went to listen to John. The people told God about all the wrong things that they had done. Then John baptized them in the Jordan River.

6. John wore clothes made from the hair of a camel. He also wore a belt made from leather. His usual food was locusts and honey from the wilderness.

7. John said to the people, ‘Another person will come soon. He is much greater than I am. I am not good enough even to undo his shoes for him.

8. I have baptized you with water. But this man will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

9. Soon after this, Jesus came from the town of Nazareth in Galilee. John baptized him in the Jordan River.

10. While Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the skies open. The Holy Spirit came down like a dove and he stayed on Jesus.

11. A voice spoke from heaven: ‘You are my Son and I love you. You make me very happy.’

12. Immediately, the Holy Spirit sent Jesus out into the wilderness.

13. Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days. During this time, Satan tried to cause him to do wrong things. There were wild animals with Jesus in the wilderness. God's angels took care of him.

14. Later, John was in prison. At that time, Jesus went to Galilee. He told people the good news about God.

15. Jesus said, ‘Now is the time when the kingdom of God has come very near. You have done many wrong things. Turn away from them and change the way that you live. Believe God's good news.’

16. One day, Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee. He saw two brothers called Simon and Andrew. Their job was to catch fish. They were throwing their nets into the lake to catch fish.

17. Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me and be my disciples. Then I will teach you how to catch people, instead of fish.’

18. Simon and Andrew immediately put down their nets and they went with Jesus.

19. Jesus continued to walk along the shore. Soon he saw two more men who were brothers. They were called James and John. They were the sons of Zebedee. They were in their boat and they were mending their nets.

20. Immediately, Jesus asked them to come with him. They left their father and his workers in the boat, and they went with Jesus to be his disciples.

21. Then Jesus and those disciples went into a town called Capernaum. On the next Jewish day of rest, Jesus went into the Jews' meeting place. He began to teach the people there.

22. The people were very surprised at the things that Jesus taught them. When he taught them, he showed his authority. That was not like the way that the teachers of God's Law taught people.

23. In the meeting place, there was a man who had a bad spirit. The bad spirit caused the man to shout.

24. He said, ‘Jesus from Nazareth, leave us alone! Do not kill us! I know who you are. You are the Holy One and God has sent you.’

25. Jesus said to the bad spirit, ‘Be quiet! Come out of the man!’

26. The bad spirit caused the man to shake and to fall down. It shouted loudly and then it came out of the man.

27. All the people were very surprised and they said to each other, ‘This is very strange. This man Jesus is teaching us something new and he speaks with authority. He can tell bad spirits what they must do. Then they do it.’

28. Immediately, people began to hear the news about Jesus. Everywhere in Galilee, people were talking about him.

29. Then Jesus left the meeting place. He took James and John with him to the home of Simon and Andrew.

30. The mother of Simon's wife was ill in bed. Her body was very hot. Immediately, Simon and Andrew told Jesus about her.

31. So Jesus went to her and he held her hand. Then he helped her to sit up and she was well again. Immediately she prepared food for her visitors.

34. Jesus caused many sick people to become well. They had many different kinds of illness. He also caused many bad spirits to leave people. The spirits knew who he was. So Jesus did not let them speak.

35. Jesus got up very early the next morning, while it was still dark. He went to a place where he could be alone. He prayed there.

36. Simon and the other disciples went to look for him.

37. When they found him, they said, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’

38. Jesus replied, ‘We should go to other towns near here. Then I can teach the people there too. That is the reason why I came here.’

39. So Jesus travelled everywhere in Galilee. He taught the people in the Jewish meeting places. He caused bad spirits to come out of people.

40. One day, a man who had a disease of the skin came to Jesus. He went down on his knees in front of Jesus. The man said. ‘If you want, you can make me well. Please do it.’

41. Jesus felt very sorry for the man. He put out his hand towards the man and he touched him. ‘I do want to help you,’ Jesus said, ‘Be clean again!’

42. Immediately, the disease left the man.

43. Jesus sent the man away immediately and he spoke to the man with strong words.

44. He said, ‘Listen to me. Do not tell anyone about this. Instead, go and show yourself to the priest. Take him a gift for God. Moses' law tells you what you should give when you are clean again after this kind of disease. This will show everyone that you are now well again.’

45. But instead, the man went away and he talked to everybody. He told them what had happened to him. Because he did this, it became too difficult for Jesus to go into the towns. Everybody knew him. So Jesus stayed in places in the wilderness. People came from all the places around there to see him.