The Temptation of Jesus
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Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert tobe tempted by devil.
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After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
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The tempter came to him and said,
"If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
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Jesus answered,
"It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word
that comes from the mouth of God."
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Then the devil took him to the holy city
and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
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"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.' "
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Jesus answered him,
"It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to test.' "
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Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain
and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
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"All thisI will give you," he said,
"if you will bow down and worship me."
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Jesus said to him,
"Away from me, Satan! For it is written:
'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "
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Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Jesus Begins to Preach
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When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee.
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Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum,
which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali
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to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
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"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea,
along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles -
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the people living in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of shadow of death a light has dawned."
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From that time on Jesus began to preach,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
The Calling of the First Disciples
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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 lake, for they were fishermen.
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"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
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At once they left their nets and followed him.
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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,
preparing their nets, Jesus called them,
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and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus Heals the Sick
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Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
preaching the good news of the kingdom,
and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
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News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought him all
who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain,
the emon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed,
and he healed them.
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Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea
and the region across he Jordan followed him.