Copyright (C) 2002 by Lightheart.

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                          The Gospel of Mark
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1. The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger whoshall prepare the way before thee. The voice of one crying in thewilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Johndid baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentancefor the remission of sins. After confessing their sins many from theland of Judaea and from Jerusalem were baptized by him in the river ofJordan.

John was clothed with camel's hair and wore animal hides around hisloins and he ate locusts and wild honey. He preached, saying, Therecomes one mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthyto stoop down and unloose. I have baptized you with water but He shallbaptize you with the Holy Ghost.

And it came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth ofGalilee and was baptized by John in the river of Jordan. Immediately,upon His coming up out of the water, John saw the heavens open and theSpirit, like a dove, descend upon Him. And there came a voice fromheaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

The spirit drove Him into the wilderness. There, among wild beasts, Hewas tempted by Satan for forty days. Then the angels ministered toHim. Now, after that, John was put in prison and Jesus came intoGalilee. He began preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God andsaying, The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repentand believe the gospel.

He walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, his brother,casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And Jesus said tothem, Come ye after me and I will make you fishers of men. Immediatelythey left their nets and followed Him.

When He had gone on a little farther, He saw James, the son ofZebedee, and John, his brother, in a boat mending their nets. Jesuscalled them. They immediately left their father, Zebedee, in the boatwith the hired servants and went after Him.

They went into Capernaum. On the sabbath day He entered the synagogueand taught. And they were astonished at His doctrine for He taughtthem as one with authority and not as the scribes. And in theirsynagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit. He cried out andsaid, Let us alone. What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth?Art thou come to destroy us? I know who thou art, the Holy One of God.And Jesus rebuked him and said, Hold thy peace and come out of him.And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice,he came out of him.

The people were amazed, so much so that they questioned amongthemselves, saying, What is this? What new doctrine is this? He evencommands with authority the unclean spirits and they obey Him.Immediately His fame spread throughout the region around Galilee.

After they left the synagogue, they went to the house of Simon andAndrew. Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and presentlythey told Jesus about her. He came and took her by the hand. Then Helifted her up and, immediately, the fever left her. And she, then,ministered to them.

That evening around sunset, many people were brought to Him who werediseased and some who were possessed with devils. And all the citygathered together at the door. Jesus healed many that were sick ofdivers diseases. He cast out many devils and did not allow the devilsto speak because they knew Him.

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