Chapter 1

Produced by Martin Ward

Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Mark

Third Edition 1913

R. F. Weymouth

Book 41 Mark

001:001 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ the Son of God.

001:002 As it is written in Isaiah the Prophet, "See, I am sending My messenger before Thee, Who will prepare Thy way";

001:003 "The voice of one crying aloud: 'In the Desert prepare a road for the Lord: Make His highways straight.'"

001:004 So John the Baptizer came, and was in the Desert proclaiming a baptism of the penitent for forgiveness of sins.

001:005 There went out to him people of all classes from Judaea, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem of all ranks, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, making open confession of their sins.

001:006 As for John, his garment was of camel's hair, and he wore a loincloth of leather; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

001:007 His announcement was, "There is One coming after me mightier than I--One whose sandal-strap I am unworthy to stoop down and unfasten.

001:008 I have baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

001:009 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan;

001:010 and immediately on His coming up out of the water He saw an opening in the sky, and the Spirit like a dove coming down to Him;

001:011 and a voice came from the sky, saying, "Thou art My Son dearly loved: in Thee is My delight."

001:012 At once the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the Desert,

001:013 where He remained for forty days, tempted by Satan; and He was among the wild beasts, but the angels waited upon Him.

001:014 Then, after John had been thrown into prison, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming God's Good News.

001:015 "The time has fully come," He said, "and the Kingdom of God is close at hand: repent, and believe this Good News.

001:016 One day, passing along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, Simon's brother, throwing their nets in the Lake; for they were fisherman.

001:017 "Come and follow me," said Jesus, "and I will make you fishers for men."

001:018 At once they left their nets and followed Him.

001:019 Going on a little further He saw James the son of Zabdi and his brother John: they also were in the boat mending the nets, and He immediately called them.

001:020 They therefore left their father Zabdi in the boat with the hired men, and went and followed Him.

001:021 So they came to Capernaum, and on the next Sabbath He went to the synagogue and began to teach.

001:022 The people listened with amazement to His teaching-- for there was authority about it: it was very different from that of the Scribes--

001:023 when all at once, there in their synagogue, a man under the power of a foul spirit screamed out:

001:024 "What have you to do with us, Jesus the Nazarene? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--God's Holy One."

001:025 But Jesus reprimanded him, saying, "Silence! come out of him."

001:026 So the foul spirit, after throwing the man into convulsions, came out of him with a loud cry.

001:027 And all were amazed and awe-struck, so they began to ask one another, "What does this mean? Here is a new sort of teaching-- and a tone of authority! And even to foul spirits he issues orders and they obey him!"

001:028 And His fame spread at once everywhere in all that part of Galilee.

001:029 Then on leaving the synagogue they came at once, with James and John, to the house of Simon and Andrew.

001:030 Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill in bed with a fever, and without delay they informed Him about her.

001:031 So He went to her, and taking her hand He raised her to her feet: the fever left her, and she began to wait upon them.

001:032 When it was evening, after sunset people came bringing Him all who were sick and the demoniacs;

001:033 and the whole town was assembled at the door.

001:034 Then He cured numbers of people who were ill with various diseases, and He drove out many demons; not allowing the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

001:035 In the morning He rose early, while it was still quite dark, and leaving the house He went away to a solitary place and there prayed.

001:036 And Simon and the others searched everywhere for Him.

001:037 When they found Him they said, "Every one is looking for you."

001:038 "Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns," He replied, "that I may proclaim my Message there also; because for that purpose I came from God."

001:039 And He went through all Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and expelling the demons.

001:040 One day there came a leper to Jesus entreating Him, and pleading on his knees. "If you are willing," he said, "you are able to cleanse me."

001:041 Moved with pity Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. "I am willing," He said; "be cleansed."

001:042 The leprosy at once left him, and he was cleansed.

001:043 Jesus at once sent him away, strictly charging him,

001:044 and saying, "Be careful not to tell any one, but go and show yourself to the Priest, and for your purification present the offerings that Moses appointed as evidence for them."

001:045 But the man, when he went out, began to tell every one and to publish the matter abroad, so that it was no longer possible for Jesus to go openly into any town; but He had to remain outside in unfrequented places, where people came to Him from all parts.

002:001 After some days He entered Capernaum again, and it soon became known that He was at home;

002:002 and such numbers of people came together that there was no longer room for them even round the door. He was speaking His Message to them,

002:003 when there came a party of people bringing a paralytic-- four men carrying him.

002:004 Finding themselves unable, however, to bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they untiled the roof just over His head, and after clearing an opening they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

002:005 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are pardoned."

002:006 Now there were some of the Scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts.

002:007 "Why does this man use such words?" they said; "he is blaspheming. Who can pardon sins but One--that is, God?"

002:008 At once perceiving by His spirit that they were reasoning within themselves, Jesus asked them, "Why do you thus argue in your minds?

002:009 Which is easier?--to say to this paralytic, 'Your sins are pardoned,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your mat, and walk?'

002:010 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to pardon sins"--He turned to the paralytic, and said,

002:011 "To you I say, 'Rise, take up your mat and go home.'"

002:012 The man rose, and immediately under the eyes of all took up his mat and went out, so that they were all filled with astonishment, gave the glory to God, and said, "We never saw anything like this."

002:013 Again He went out to the shore of the Lake, and the whole multitude kept coming to Him, and He taught them.

002:014 And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the Toll Office, and said to him, "Follow me." So he rose and followed Him.

002:015 When He was sitting at table in Levi's house, a large number of tax-gatherers and notorious sinners were at table with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many such who habitually followed Him.

002:016 But when the Scribes of the Pharisee sect saw Him eating with the sinners and the tax-gatherers, they said to His disciples, "He is eating and drinking with the tax-gatherers and sinners!"

002:017 Jesus heard the words, and He said, "It is not the healthy who require a doctor, but the sick: I did not come to appeal to the righteous, but to sinners."

002:018 (Now John's disciples and those of the Pharisees were keeping a fast.) And they came and asked Him, "How is it that John's disciples and those of the Pharisees are fasting, and yours are not?"

002:019 "Can a wedding party fast while the bridegroom is among them?" replied Jesus. "So long as they have the bridegroom with them, fasting is impossible.

002:020 But a time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast.

002:021 No one mends an old garment with a piece of unshrunk cloth. Otherwise, the patch put on would tear away from it-- the new from the old--and a worse hole would be made.

002:022 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the wine would burst the skins, and both wine and skins would be lost. New wine needs fresh skins!"

002:023 One Sabbath He was walking through the wheatfields when His disciples began to pluck the ears of wheat as they went.

002:024 So the Pharisees said to Him, "Look! why are they doing what on the Sabbath is unlawful?"

002:025 "Have you never read," Jesus replied, "what David did when the necessity arose and he and his men were hungry:

002:026 how he entered the house of God in the High-priesthood of Abiathar, and ate the Presented Loaves--which none but the priests are allowed to eat--and gave some to his men also?"

002:027 And Jesus said to them: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath;

002:028 so that the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

003:001 At another time, when He went to the synagogue, there was a man there with one arm shrivelled up.

003:002 They closely watched Him to see whether He would cure him on the Sabbath--so as to have a charge to bring against Him.

003:003 "Come forward," said He to the man with the shrivelled arm.

003:004 Then He asked them, "Are we allowed to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil? to save a life, or to destroy one?" They remained silent.

003:005 Grieved and indignant at the hardening of their hearts, He looked round on them with anger, and said to the man, "Stretch out your arm." He stretched it out, and the arm was completely restored.

003:006 But no sooner had the Pharisees left the synagogue than they held a consultation with the Herodians against Jesus, to devise some means of destroying Him.

003:007 Accordingly Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the Lake, and a vast crowd of people from Galilee followed Him;

003:008 and from Judaea and Jerusalem and Idumaea and from beyond the Jordan and from the district of Tyre and Sidon there came to Him a vast crowd, hearing of all that He was doing.

003:009 So He gave directions to His disciples to keep a small boat in constant attendance on Him because of the throng-- to prevent their crushing Him.

003:010 For He had cured many of the people, so that all who had any ailments pressed upon Him, to touch Him.

003:011 And the foul spirits, whenever they saw Him, threw themselves down at His feet, screaming out: "You are the Son of God."

003:012 But He many a time checked them, forbidding them to say who He was.

003:013 Then He went up the hill; and those whom He Himself chose He called, and they came to Him.

003:014 He appointed twelve of them, that they might be with Him, and that He might also send them to proclaim His Message,

003:015 with authority to expel the demons.

003:016 These twelve were Simon (to whom He gave the surname of Peter),

003:017 James the son of Zabdi and John the brother of James (these two He surnamed Boanerges, that is 'Sons of Thunder'),

003:018 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean,

003:019 and Judas Iscariot, the man who also betrayed Him.

003:020 And He went into a house. But again the crowd assembled, so that there was no opportunity for them even to snatch a meal.

003:021 Hearing of this, His relatives came to seize Him by force, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

003:022 The Scribes, too, who had come down from Jerusalem said, "He has Baal-zebul in him; and it is by the power of the Prince of the demons that he expels the demons."

003:023 So He called them to Him, and using figurative language He appealed to them, saying, "How is it possible for Satan to expel Satan?

003:024 For if civil war breaks out in a kingdom, nothing can make that kingdom last;

003:025 and if a family splits into parties, that family cannot continue.

003:026 So if Satan has risen in arms and has made war upon himself, stand he cannot, but meets his end.

003:027 Nay, no one can go into a strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house.

003:028 In solemn truth I tell you that all their sins may be pardoned to the sons of men, and all their blasphemies, however they may have blasphemed;

003:029 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, he remains for ever unabsolved: he is guilty of a sin of the Ages."

003:030 This was because they said, "He is possessed by a foul spirit."

003:031 By this time His mother and His brothers arrive, and standing outside they send a message to Him to call Him.

003:032 Now a crowd was sitting round Him; so they tell Him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, inquiring for you."

003:033 "Who are my mother and my brothers?" He replied.

003:034 And, fixing His eyes on the people who were sitting round Him in a circle, He said,

003:035 "Here are my mother and my brothers. For wherever there is one who has been obedient to God, there is my brother-- my sister--and my mother."

004:001 Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water.

004:002 Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said,

004:003 "Listen: the sower goes out to sow.

004:004 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.

004:005 Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil;

004:006 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away.

004:007 Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop.

004:008 But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold."

004:009 "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!"

004:010 When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.

004:011 "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;

004:012 that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"

004:013 "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?"

004:014 "What the sower sows is the Message.

004:015 Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

004:016 In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully,

004:017 but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown.

004:018 Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message,

004:019 but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.

004:020 Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

004:021 He went on to say, "Is the lamp brought in in order to be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not rather in order that it may be placed on the lampstand?

004:022 Why, there is nothing hidden except with a view to its being ultimately disclosed, nor has anything been made a secret but that it may at last come to light.

004:023 Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"

004:024 He also said to them, "Take care what you hear. With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and that with interest.

004:025 For those who have will have more given them; and from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away."

004:026 Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground:

004:027 he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how.

004:028 Of itself the land produces the crop--first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.

004:029 But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."

004:030 Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?

004:031 It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;

004:032 yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."

004:033 With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.

004:034 But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.

004:035 The same day, in the evening, He said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."

004:036 So they got away from the crowd, and took Him--as He was-- in the boat; and other boats accompanied Him.

004:037 But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.

004:038 But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"

004:039 So He roused Himself and rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" The wind sank, and a perfect calm set in.

004:040 "Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"

004:041 Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."

005:001 So they arrived at the opposite shore of the Lake, in the country of the Gerasenes.

005:002 At once, on His landing, there came from the tombs to meet Him a man possessed by a foul spirit.

005:003 This man lived among the tombs, nor could any one now secure him even with a chain;

005:004 for many a time he had been left securely bound in fetters and chains, but afterwards the chains lay torn link from link, and the fetters in fragments, and there was no one strong enough to master him.

005:005 And constantly, day and night, he remained among the tombs or on the hills, shrieking, and mangling himself with sharp stones.

005:006 And when he saw Jesus in the distance, he ran and threw himself at His feet,

005:007 crying out in a loud voice, "What hast Thou to do with me, Jesus, Son of God Most High? In God's name I implore Thee not to torment me."

005:008 For He had said to him, "Foul spirit, come out of the man."

005:009 Jesus also questioned him. "What is your name?" He said. "Legion," he replied, "for there are a host of us."

005:010 And he earnestly entreated Him not to send them away out of the country.

005:011 Feeding there, on the mountain slope, was a great herd of swine.

005:012 So they besought Jesus. "Send us to the swine," they said, "so that we may enter into them."

005:013 He gave them leave; and the foul spirits came out and entered into the swine, and the herd--about 2,000 in number-- rushed headlong down the cliff into the Lake and were drowned in the Lake.

005:014 The swineherds fled, and spread the news in town and country. So the people came to see what it was that had happened;

005:015 and when they came to Jesus, they beheld the demoniac quietly seated, clothed and of sane mind--the man who had had the legion; and they were awe-stricken.

005:016 And those who had seen it told them the particulars of what had happened to the demoniac, and all about the swine.

005:017 Then they began entreating Him to depart from their district.

005:018 As He was embarking, the man who had been possessed asked permission to accompany Him.

005:019 But He would not allow it. "Go home to your family," He said, "and report to them all that the Lord has done for you, and the mercy He has shown you."

005:020 So the man departed, and related publicly everywhere in the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done for him; and all were astonished.

005:021 When Jesus had re-crossed in the boat to the other side, a vast multitude came crowding to Him; and He was on the shore of the Lake,

005:022 when there came one of the Wardens of the Synagogue-- he was called Jair--who, on beholding Him, threw himself at His feet,

005:023 and besought Him with many entreaties. "My little daughter," he said, "is at the point of death: I pray you come and lay your hands upon her, that she may recover and live."

005:024 And Jesus went with him. And a dense crowd followed Him, and thronged Him on all sides.

005:025 Now a woman who for twelve years had suffered from haemorrhage,

005:026 and had undergone many different treatments under a number of doctors and had spent all she had without receiving benefit but on the contrary growing worse,

005:027 heard of Jesus. And she came in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak;

005:028 for she said, "If I but touch His clothes, I shall be cured."

005:029 In a moment the flow of her blood ceased, and she felt in herself that her complaint was cured.