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The Temptation of Jesus

(Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)

¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.² After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.³ The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”⁴ But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.&rsquo^(a);”⁵ Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.⁶ “If You are the Son of God,” he said, “throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning You, and they will lift You up in their hands, so that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.&rsquo^(a);”⁷ Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”⁸ Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.⁹ “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.”¹⁰ “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus declared. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.&rsquo^(a);”¹¹ Then the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

(Isaiah 9:1-7; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 4:14-15)

¹² When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.¹³ Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,¹⁴ to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—¹⁶ the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

The First Disciples

(Matthew 13:47-52; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42)

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.¹⁹ “Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”²⁰ And at once they left their nets and followed Him.²¹ Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them,²² and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.

Jesus Heals the Multitudes

(Luke 6:17-19)

²³ Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.²⁴ News about Him spread all over Syria, and people brought to Him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering acute pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed—and He healed them.²⁵ The large crowds that followed Him came from Galilee, the Decapolis^(a), Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.