Mark 1-2; Psalms 95 - Prayer Tents

Mark 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It beganG746G2098G2424G5547G5207G23162just as the prophet Isaiah had written: "Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way.G5613G1125G1722G4396G2400G1473G649G3450G32G4253G4675G4383G3739G2680G4675G3598G1715G46753He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way for the LORD's coming! Clear the road for him!'"G5456G994G1722G2048G2090G3598G2962G4160G846G5147G21174This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.G2491G1096G907G1722G2048G2532G2784G908G3341G1519G859G2665All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.G2532G1607G4314G846G3956G5561G2449G2532G2415G2532G907G3956G907G5259G846G1722G4215G2446G1843G846G2666His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.G1161G2491G2258G1746G2574G2359G2532G2223G1193G4012G846G3751G2532G2068G200G2532G66G31927John announced: "Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.G2532G2784G3004G2064G2478G3450G3694G3450G2438G3739G846G5266G1510G3756G2425G2955G30898I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!"G1473G3303G907G5209G1722G5204G1161G846G907G5209G1722G40G4151

The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

9One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River.G2532G1096G1722G1565G2250G2424G2064G575G3478G1056G2532G907G5259G2491G1519G244610As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove.G2532G2112G305G575G5204G1492G3772G4977G2532G4151G5616G4058G2597G1909G84611And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy."G2532G1096G5456G1537G3772G4771G1488G3450G27G5207G1722G3739G210612The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness,G2532G2117G4151G1544G846G1519G204813where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him.G2532G2258G1563G1722G2048G5062G2250G3985G5259G4567G2532G2258G3326G2342G2532G32G1247G84614Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God's Good News.G1161G3326G2491G3860G2424G2064G1519G1056G2784G2098G932G231615"The time promised by God has come at last!" he announced. "The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!"G2532G3004G3754G2540G4137G2532G932G2316G1448G3340G2532G4100G1722G2098

The First Disciples

16One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living.G1161G4043G3844G2281G1056G1492G4613G2532G406G846G80G906G293G1722G2281G1063G2258G23117Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!"G2532G2424G2036G846G1205G3694G3450G2532G4160G5209G1096G231G44418And they left their nets at once and followed him.G2532G2112G863G846G1350G190G84619A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee's sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets.G2532G4260G3641G4260G1564G1492G2385G3588G2199G2532G2491G846G80G846G2532G1722G4143G2675G135020He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.G2532G2112G2564G846G2532G863G846G3962G2199G1722G4143G3326G3411G565G3694G846

Jesus Casts Out an Evil Spirit

21Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach.G2532G1531G1519G2584G2532G2112G4521G1525G1519G4864G132122The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.G2532G1605G1909G846G1322G1063G1321G2258G846G5613G2192G1849G2532G3756G5613G112223Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting,G2532G2258G1722G846G4864G444G1722G169G4151G2532G34924"Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One sent from God!"G3004G1436G5101G2254G2532G4671G2424G3479G2064G622G2248G1492G4571G5101G1488G40G231625Jesus cut him short. "Be quiet! Come out of the man," he ordered.G2532G2424G2008G846G3004G5392G2532G1831G1537G84626At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.G2532G169G4151G4682G846G2532G2896G3173G5456G1831G1537G84627Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. "What sort of new teaching is this?" they asked excitedly. "It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!"G2532G2284G3956G2284G5620G4802G4314G846G3004G5101G2076G3778G5101G2537G1322G5124G3754G2596G1849G2004G2532G169G4151G2532G5219G84628The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.G1161G2117G846G189G1831G1519G3650G4066G1056

Jesus Heals Many People

29After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew's home.G2532G2112G1831G1537G4864G2064G1519G3614G4613G2532G406G3326G2385G2532G249130Now Simon's mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away.G1161G4613G3994G2621G4445G2532G2112G3004G846G4012G84631So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.G2532G4334G2902G846G5495G1453G846G1453G2532G2112G4446G863G846G2532G1247G84632That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus.G1161G1096G3798G3753G2246G1416G5342G4314G846G3956G2192G2560G2532G113933The whole town gathered at the door to watch.G2532G3650G4172G2258G1996G4314G237434So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.G2532G2323G4183G2192G2560G4164G3554G2532G1544G4183G1140G2532G863G3756G1140G2980G3754G1492G846

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

35Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.G2532G4404G450G3029G1773G1831G2532G565G1519G2048G5117G2546G433636Later Simon and the others went out to find him.G2532G4613G2532G3326G846G2614G84637When they found him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you."G2532G2147G846G3004G846G3754G3956G2212G457138But Jesus replied, "We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came."G2532G3004G846G71G1519G2192G2969G2443G2784G2546G1063G1519G5124G183139So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.G2532G2784G2258G1722G846G4864G1519G3650G1056G2532G1544G1140

Jesus Heals a Man with Leprosy

40A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean," he said.G2532G2064G3015G4314G846G3870G846G2532G1120G846G2532G3004G846G3754G1437G2309G1410G2511G3165G251141Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. "I am willing," he said. "Be healed!"G1161G2424G4697G1614G5495G680G846G2532G3004G846G2309G251142Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.G2532G846G2036G2112G3014G565G575G846G2532G251143Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning.G2532G1690G846G2112G1544G846G154444"Don't tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed."G2532G3004G846G3708G2036G3367G3367G235G5217G1166G4572G2409G2532G4374G4012G4675G2512G3739G3475G4367G1519G3142G84645But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn't publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.G1161G1831G756G2784G4183G2532G1310G3056G5620G846G1410G3371G5320G1525G1519G4172G235G2258G1854G1722G2048G5117G2532G2064G4314G846G3836

Mark 2

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

2When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home.G2532G3825G1525G1519G2584G1223G2250G2532G191G3754G2076G1519G36242Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God's word to them,G2532G2112G4183G4863G5620G5562G3371G5562G3366G4314G2374G2532G2980G3056G8463four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat.G2532G2064G4314G846G5342G3885G142G5259G50644They couldn't bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus.G2532G1410G3361G4331G846G1223G3793G648G4721G3699G2258G2532G1846G5465G2895G1909G3739G3885G26215Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, "My child, your sins are forgiven."G1161G2424G1492G846G4102G3004G3885G5043G4675G266G863G46716But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves,G1161G2258G5100G1122G2521G1563G2532G1260G1722G846G25887"What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!"G5101G2980G3778G3779G2980G988G5101G1410G863G266G1508G2316G15208Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, "Why do you question this in your hearts?G2532G2112G2424G1921G846G4151G3754G3779G1260G1722G1438G2036G846G5101G1260G5023G1722G5216G25889Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man 'Your sins are forgiven,' or 'Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk'?G5101G2076G2123G2036G3885G266G863G4671G2228G2036G1453G2532G142G4675G2895G2532G404310So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins." Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said,G1161G2443G1492G3754G5207G444G2192G1849G1909G1093G863G266G3004G388511"Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!"G3004G4671G1453G2532G142G4675G2895G2532G5217G1519G4675G362412And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, "We've never seen anything like this before!"G2532G2112G1453G142G2895G2532G1831G1726G3956G5620G1839G3956G1839G2532G1392G2316G3004G3754G1492G3763G1492G3779

Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew)

13Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him.G2532G1831G3825G3844G2281G2532G3956G3793G2064G4314G846G2532G1321G84614As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector's booth. "Follow me and be my disciple," Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him.G2532G3855G1492G3018G256G2521G1909G5058G2532G3004G846G190G3427G2532G450G190G84615Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners.G2532G1096G1722G846G2621G1722G846G3614G4183G5057G2532G268G4873G2532G4873G2424G2532G846G3101G1063G2258G4183G2532G190G84616But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, "Why does he eat with such scum?"G2532G1122G2532G5330G1492G846G2068G3326G5057G2532G268G3004G846G3101G5101G3754G2068G2532G4095G3326G5057G2532G26817When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."G2532G2424G191G3004G846G2480G2192G3756G5532G2395G235G2192G2560G2064G3756G2564G1342G235G268G1519G3341

A Discussion about Fasting

18Once when John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, "Why don't your disciples fast like John's disciples and the Pharisees do?"G2532G3101G2491G2532G5330G2258G3522G2532G2064G2532G3004G846G1302G3522G3101G2491G2532G5330G3522G1161G4674G3101G3522G375619Jesus replied, "Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can't fast while the groom is with them.G2532G2424G2036G846G3361G1410G5207G3567G3522G1722G3739G3566G2076G3326G846G3745G5550G2192G3566G3326G1438G3756G1410G352220But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.G1161G2250G2064G3752G3566G522G575G846G2532G5119G3522G1722G1565G225021"Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before.G3762G2532G1976G1915G46G4470G1909G3820G2440G1490G2537G4138G142G846G3820G2532G4978G1096G550122"And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins."G2532G3762G906G3501G3631G1519G3820G779G1490G3501G3631G4486G779G2532G3631G1632G2532G779G622G235G3501G3631G992G1519G2537G779

A Discussion about the Sabbath

23One Sabbath day as Jesus was walking through some grainfields, his disciples began breaking off heads of grain to eat.G2532G1096G846G3899G1223G4702G1722G4521G2532G846G3101G756G3598G4160G5089G471924But the Pharisees said to Jesus, "Look, why are they breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath?"G2532G5330G3004G846G2396G5101G4160G1722G4521G3739G1832G3756G183225Jesus said to them, "Haven't you ever read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry?G2532G846G3004G846G3763G314G5101G1138G4160G3753G2192G5532G2532G3983G846G2532G3326G84626He went into the house of God and broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions."G4459G1525G1519G3624G2316G1909G8G749G2532G5315G740G4286G3739G1832G3756G1832G5315G1508G2409G2532G1325G2532G5607G4862G84627Then Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.G2532G3004G846G4521G1096G1223G444G3756G444G1223G452128So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!"G5620G5207G444G2076G2962G2532G4521

Psalms 95

95Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.H3212H7442H3068H7321H6697H3468 2Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.H6923H6440H8426H7321H2158 3For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.H3068H1419H410H1419H4428H430 4He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.H3027H4278H776H8443H2022 5The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.H3220H6213H3027H3335H3006 6Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,H935H7812H3766H1288H6440H3068H6213 7for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!H430H5971H4830H6629H3027H3117H8085H6963 8The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness.H7185H3824H4808H3117H4531H4057 9For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw everything I did.H1H5254H974H7200H6467 10For forty years I was angry with them, and I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’H705H8141H6962H1755H559H5971H8582H3824H3045H1870 11So in my anger I took an oath. ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”H7650H639H935H4496