NIrV Bible for Kids Sampler | Page 5

Mark 1:29 l 1026
Jesus Heals Many People
29 Jesus and those with him left the synagogue . Right away they went with James and John to the home of Si mon and Andrew . 30 Simon ’ s mother-in-law was ly ing in bed with a fe ver . They told Jesus about her right away . 31 So he went to her . He took her hand and helped her up . The fe ver left her . Then she be gan to serve them .
32 That eve ning af ter sun set , the peo ple brought to Jesus all who were sick . They also brought all who were con trolled by demons . 33 All the peo ple in town gathered at the door . 34 Jesus healed many of them . They had all kinds of sick ness es . He also drove out many de mons . But he would not let the de mons speak , be cause they knew who he was .
Jesus Prays in a Quiet Place
35 It was very ear ly in the morn ing and still dark . Jesus got up and left the house . He went to a place where he could be alone . There he prayed . 36 Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus . 37 When they found him , they called out , “ Ev eryone is look ing for you !”
38 Jesus replied , “Let ’ s go somewhere else . I want to go to the near by towns . I must preach there also . That is why I have come .” 39 So he trav eled all around Gal i­ lee . He preached in their syn a gogues . He also drove out de mons .
Jesus Heals a Man Who Had a Skin Disease
40 A man who had a skin dis ease came to Jesus . On his knees he begged Jesus . He said , “ If you are will ing to make me ‘ clean ,’ you can do it .”
41 Jesus be came an gry . He reached out his hand and touched the man . “ I am will ing to do it ,” Jesus said . “ Be ‘ clean ’!” 42 Right away the dis ease left the man , and he was “ clean .”
43 Jesus sent him away at once . He gave the man a strong warn ing . 44 “Don ’ t tell this to any one ,” he said . “ Go and show yourself to the priest . Offer the sacrifices that Mo ses com mand ed . It will be a witness to the priest and the peo ple that you are ‘clean .’ ” 45 But the man went out and start ed talk ing right away . He spread the news to ev ery one . So Jesus could no longer en ter a town open ly . He stayed out side in lone ly plac es . But peo ple still came to him from everywhere .
Jesus Forgives and Heals a Man Who Could Not Walk

2

A few days lat er , Jesus en tered Ca perna um again . The peo ple heard that he had come home . 2 So many peo ple gathered that there was no room left . There was not even room out side the door . And Jesus preached the word to them . 3 Four of those who came were car ry ing a man who could not walk . 4 But they could not get him close to Jesus be cause of the crowd . So they made a hole by dig ging through the roof above Jesus . Then they low ered the man through it on a mat . 5 Jesus saw their faith . So he said to the man , “ Son , your sins are for giv en .”
6 Some teach ers of the law were sit ting there . They were thinking , 7 “ Why is this fel low talk ing like that ? He ’ s say ing a very evil thing ! Only God can for give sins !”
8 Right away Jesus knew what they were think ing . So he said to them , “ Why are you thinking these things ? 9 Is it easi er to say to this man , ‘ Your sins are forgiv en ’? Or to say , ‘ Get up , take your mat and walk ’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has au thor i ty on earth to for give sins .” So Jesus spoke to the man who could not walk . 11 “ I tell you ,” he said , “ get up . Take your mat and go home .” 12 The man got up and took his mat . Then he walked away while everyone watched . All the peo ple were amazed . They praised God and said , “ We have nev er seen anything like this !”
Jesus Chooses Levi and Eats With Sinners
13 Once again Jesus went out be side the Sea of Gal i lee . A large crowd came to him . He be gan to teach them . 14 As he walked along he saw Levi , the son of Al phae us . Levi was sit ting at the tax col lec tor ’ s booth . “ Fol low me ,” Jesus told him . Levi got up and fol lowed him .
15 Later Jesus was having dinner at Levi ’ s house . Many tax col lec tors and sin ners were eat ing with him and his dis ci ples . They were part of the large crowd fol lowing Jesus . 16 Some teach ers of the law who were Pharisees were there . They saw Jesus eat ing with sin ners and tax col lec tors . So they asked his dis ci ples , “ Why does he eat with tax col lec tors and sin ners ?”