Chapter 6: Recognition

Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by John concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and concerning all the other evils which he had done,  also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” News of him went out throughout all the surrounding regions. And He taught in their synagogues, and everybody praised Him.

 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?”

 He said to them, “You will surely say this proverb to Me, ‘Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.’”  Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.  But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

 So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.  Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. As the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, He saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to James and John, the sons of Zebedee, their partners, to come and help them in the other boat. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” So when they had brought their boats to land, they immediately forsook all and followed Him.

 

When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.

Then they went into Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Now there was a man in their synagogue with a demon, an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the demon had convulsed him and thrown him in their midst, it came out of him and did not hurt him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What new word is this? For He commands with authority, and even the unclean spirits obey Him.”  

Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a high fever, and they told Him about her at once, and made request of Him concerning her.  So He came stood over her and rebuked the fever, then took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. Immediately she arose and served them.

 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door. He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.  And demons also came out of many, crying out and saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of God!” And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, because they knew Him.

 Having risen long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place and prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.”

And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them.  But He said to them, “Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach the kingdom of God there also, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

And His fame spread throughout all the surrounding region.