Mark

JMNT^{(i) 1} A beginning of the good news, which is Jesus Christ, God's Son (or: [The] beginning of the message of ease and wellness which pertains to and has its source in Jesus Christ - Son of God). ² In accord with what has been written in Isaiah the prophet [other MSS: in the prophets]: "Look and consider! I, Myself, am periodically sending forth My agent (messenger) on a mission - before Your face - who will construct (build; furnish; equip; put in readiness) Your road (Way; path). ³ "A voice! One repeatedly crying out (shouting; exulting; exclaiming; imploring): 'Within the midst of the wilderness (desert; desolate place; abandoned and uninhabited region) you folks prepare and make ready the road of [the] Lord (the path whose source is [Yahweh]; the Way whose character is that of, and which pertains to, [the] Owner [= Yahweh])! Be progressively constructing (making) His highway (thoroughfare) well-placed and straight.'" [or: "A sound! One is continuously crying out within the midst of the desert: ... "] ⁴ John - the one habitually baptizing (immersing; dipping) - came into the scene (came to be) within the wilderness (in the uninhabited area of the desert), repeatedly heralding the proclamation of a baptism (an immersion) which [signifies] a change of thinking (a change of perception, frame of mind and mode of thought; a change of understanding; = a new attitude involving trust and obedience) and a turning back [to Yahweh, which leads] into an abandoning and divorcing of failures (a sending-away of errors; a letting-go of sins; a release or dismissal of mistakes; a letting-flow-away of situations where the target was missed). ⁵ And all the Judean territory (province; region; country) - even all the people of Jerusalem - kept on traveling out to him in a steady stream, and were one by one being immersed (baptized) by him within the midst of the Jordan River, while they were openly confessing-out their failures (mistakes; errors; sins). ⁶ Now John was by habit being one who had dressed himself in a garment woven of camel's hair with a leather belt (or: a girdle made of an animal skin) around his waist and loins, and was habitually eating locusts (the insect, or, the carob bean) and wild honey (as his food). ⁷ And he had kept on making a loud public proclamation, as a herald, repeatedly saying, "Behind me the One (or: the Man) stronger than me is progressively approaching (steadily coming) - of Whom I am not (do not exist being) of adequate size or sufficient strength to be competent to, stooping down, loose and unfasten the strap (thong; lace) of His sandals. ⁸ "I myself, indeed, immerse (or: baptized) you folks within water, yet He, Himself, will immerse (be baptizing) you in a set-apart spirit (or: within [the] Holy Spirit; within a Holy Wind; in a set-apart Breath-effect; in union with a holy attitude)." ⁹ And within the course of those days it occurred [that] Jesus came from Nazareth, of the Galilee [district], and was immersed into (baptized in) the Jordan by John. ¹⁰ Then immediately, while stepping back up straight from out of the water, He saw (perceived & became aware of) the Breath-effect (the Spirit; the Wind) - as a dove (or: pigeon) - progressively descending into Him! [with other MSS: progressively stepping down and continuously remaining upon Him.] ¹¹ And a Voice was birthed (or: a sound occurred) from out of the midst of the heavens [= the sky and outer space; or = the realms of God's presence; or = the holy places of the realms of spirit]: "You, Yourself, are (or: continue being; habitually exist being) My Son - the Beloved One! I seem at ease and appear well and prosperous in union with and within the midst of You (or: I delight in You; I think and imagine ease and wellness within You; I am well-pleased and approve in You)! ¹² Then immediately (straightway; directly; without delay) the Breath-effect (the Spirit; the Wind) progressively impels Him forth out into the midst of the wilderness (the uninhabited, desolate desert), ¹³ and He continued being within the midst of the wilderness forty days and was constantly being with the little (small) wild animals, being repeatedly (or: constantly) examined and put to the proof by [various] attempts in tests and trials by (under [the influence o]) the adversary (satan). And yet agents (messengers) had kept on giving attending service and support to (in; for) Him. ¹⁴ Now, after the handing over of John (or: the [situation for] John to be given out of hand [to be arrested and imprisoned]), Jesus came (or: went) into the Galilee [district], continuously heralding God's good news (or: the message of ease and wellness which is God and which pertains to God and has its source in God) in a loud, public proclamation, ¹⁵ and constantly saying, "The season and appointed situation has been fulfilled (has been filled up and now continues full), and God's kingdom (the reign and rule of God as King; God's kingship) has approached and is now near at hand (= close enough to touch)! You folks be progressively and continuously changing your thinking - change your perceptions, frame of mind, mode of thought and understanding and turn back [toward God] - and be progressively believing while constantly placing your trust in the good news (the message of ease and wellness).!" ¹⁶ And while passing along beside (= walking alongside) the Sea of (or: Lake) Galilee, He saw and perceived Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon, repeatedly envelope-casting [their] purse net (a large, circular fishing net) in the sea, for they were fishers (those who earned their living by catching fish). ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, "Hither, you [two] come on behind (= follow after) Me, and I will be making you to become fishers of mankind (of men; of humans)!" ¹⁸ So at once, abandoning the fishing nets, they followed Him. ¹⁹ And stepping forward a little he saw and Jacob (= James), the [son] of Zebedee, and John, his brother, and perceived them while [at work] within the boat, putting the nets in order (i.e., mending, adjusting, cleaning and folding them - making ready for the next use in fishing), ²⁰ so at once He called them. And abandoning their father, Zebedee, within the boat with the hired men, they went off behind (= followed after) Him. ²¹ And they continued traveling on and entered into Capernaum. And on the sabbaths, immediately upon entering into the synagogue, He repeatedly (or: habitually) began teaching. ²² Now they became increasingly astounded and bewildered so as to be completely amazed - even lost in admiration - at His content and manner of teaching, for He was progressively teaching them as one continuously possessing authority (holding and having the right) - and not as the scribes (experts in the Law; = ordained theologians). ²³ Also within their synagogue, there was just then a man in union with an unclean spirit (or: within the midst of an impure and defiled mood and attitude), and he momentarily shouts (screams; cried out), ²⁴ in saying, "Ah! What business have you with us (or: What [is there in common] for us and for you; Why do you meddle with us), Jesus - Nazarene? You came (or: Do you come ...?) to destroy us! I have seen to know [other MSS: We now know] you - who you are: God's set-apart one (or: the Holy One of God; the set-apart one whose source is God; or, as a genitive of apposition: the Holy One who is God)!" ²⁵ And Jesus spoke seriously but respectfully to him, adding a penalty (or: Jesus respectfully charged it; or: Jesus appraised him and assessed a penalty, assigning a punishment upon him; or: Jesus strongly speaks to him in reproof {censure, reprimand, rebuke, or strict enjoining}), in saying, "Be muzzled (= Be silent) and go (or: come) forth from out of the midst of him at once!" ²⁶ So momentarily convulsing him (pulling him to and fro), the unclean spirit (or: mood; attitude) - also uttering a great sound (exclaiming or screaming in a loud voice) - at once went forth from out of the midst of him. ²⁷ Now everyone was startled and amazed (filled with astonishment or admiration), so as to keep on inquiring of one another (discussing [the incident] among themselves), repeatedly saying, "What is this? Fresh and effective teaching that is new in kind and character, corresponding to authority! He is even proceeding to assign a place upon (set and arrangement upon) the unclean spirits, and they are continuing to submissively hear and obey him." (or: "This is some new and novel teaching! In accord with authority and right he now gives orders to the impure motives, moods and attitudes - and in submission they proceed to obey him!") ²⁸ And so His report (or: the rumor about Him) went forth at once everywhere (in all places) into the whole country around the Galilee [district; region]. ²⁹ And so, they went straight out of the synagogue, with Jacob (James), into the house (home) of Simon and Andrew. ³⁰ Now Simon's mother-in-law had been bedridden and was still lying down continuing sick with a burning fever, and they at once began telling Him about her. ³¹ And upon approaching her, He, taking a strong hold on her hand, raised her up, and the fever abandoned (left) her, and she began giving attending service to them. ³² Now with evening's arriving (coming to birth), when the sun set, they began and kept on, in a steady stream, bringing and carrying to Him all those continuing to hold badly (= having an illness; = possessing a poor quality of life and a worthless condition) - even those (or: as well as those) being habitually affected by demons - ³³ and the whole city was eventually there, having gathered together right at, and facing, the door. ³⁴ So He attended to and cured (healed) many folks who were continuing to hold badly (= having a poor condition) with (or: in; by) various kinds of sicknesses and diseases, and He threw (or: cast; drove) many demons from out of the midst, and He kept on refusing the demons permission to continue speaking, because they had come to see, and perceive, Him to be Christ [other MSS omit: to be Christ]. ³⁵ And early one morning, rising very early while it was still dark, He came forth [outside] and went away into a desolate, out-of-the-way place and there He began and continued praying (= talking to God). ³⁶ However, Simon and those with him tracked Him down (hunted Him out) ³⁷ and found Him, and proceed saying to Him, "Everyone is now trying to find You (or: They all continue seeking You)." ³⁸ So He is then saying to them, "We should be going somewhere else (or: Let us continue leading on elsewhere), into the next adjoining and nearby (or: neighboring) unwalled country towns and villages, so that I can herald and publicly proclaim the message there, also, for into this [mission and purpose] I am gone forth (or: I came out)." ³⁹ And He came (went) into their synagogues - into [the] whole [region of] the Galilee [area] - constantly heralding (loudly publicly announcing), as well as repeatedly throwing out the demons. ⁴⁰ There also is progressively coming toward Him a leper (one who has some variety of various skin diseases), repeatedly entreating (imploring) Him to come to his side to give him aid and encouragement, and then proceeding to kneel down, is repeatedly saying to Him, "If you may want to - and should continue willing - you continue able and have the power to cleanse and make me clean." ⁴¹ Now Jesus, being instantly moved with compassion in His inward being [other MSS: emotionally swelling internally from His natural disposition and movement of soul; or: filled with warm indignation], instantly stretching out His hand, touches him, and continues in saying to him, "I continually want to and am habitually willing to! Be at once cleansed and made clean!" ⁴² And immediately the leprosy (skin disease) went off and away from him, and he was at once cleansed and made clean. ⁴³ And then, inwardly snorting [possibly = muttering] at him with powerful emotion, He at once thrust him out from the midst, ⁴⁴ and continues by saying to him, "See [the situation]. You should tell nothing to no one [at all], but rather, begin to withdraw, then continuing to go off, show (display; exhibit) yourself to the priest, and bear forward the offering of the things which Moses set forth in order (arranged and gave forth instruction; directed) - concerning your cleansing - [directed] into a testimony for and witness to them." ⁴⁵ Yet, going out, the man started (began) to repeatedly proclaim and loudly herald a great deal in public and to spread abroad the account, with the result that [it was] no longer possible [for] Him to continue to enter openly into a town, but to the contrary He continued being outside, upon desolate (uninhabited and unfrequented) places. And yet, people kept on coming to Him from all sides (or: all parts; everywhere).