8So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.9Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him.

10“Do not be afraid,” said Jesus. “Go and tell My brothers to go to Galilee. There they will see Me.”

The Report of the Guards

11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.12And after the chief priests had met with the elders and formed a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money13and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’14If this report reaches the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.”15So the guards took the money and did as they were instructed. And this account has been circulated among the Jews to this very day.

The Great Commission

16Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated.17When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted.18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,20and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The Mission of John the Baptist

1This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

4John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.5People went out to him from all of Jerusalem and the countryside of Judea. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.6John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.7And he began to proclaim: “After me will come One more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.8I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.10As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove.11And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

The Temptation and Preaching of Jesus

12At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness,13and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.

14After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.15“The time is fulfilled,” He said, “and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe in the gospel!”

The First Disciples

16As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.17“Come, follow Me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”

18And at once they left their nets and followed Him.

19Going on a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat, mending their nets.20Immediately Jesus called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed Him.

Jesus Expels an Unclean Spirit

21Then Jesus and His companions went to Capernaum, and right away Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and began to teach.22The people were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.23Suddenly a man with an unclean spirit cried out in the synagogue:24“What do You want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

25But Jesus rebuked the spirit. “Be silent!” He said. “Come out of him!”

26At this, the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and came out with a loud shriek.27All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”28And the news about Jesus spread quickly through the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals at Peter’s House

29As soon as Jesus and His companions had left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew.30Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a fever, and they promptly told Jesus about her.31So He went to her, took her by the hand, and helped her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32That evening, after sunset, people brought to Jesus all who were sick and demon-possessed,