Matthew 4:12-25

Preaching in Galilee

¹²Now when Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, he went into Galilee. ¹³While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, ¹⁴so that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: ¹⁵“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way by the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – ¹⁶the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” ¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

The Call of the Disciples

¹⁸As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). ¹⁹He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” ²⁰They left their nets immediately and followed him. ²¹Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then he called them. ²²They immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.

Jesus’ Healing Ministry

²³Jesus went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. ²⁴So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, paralytics, and those possessed by demons, and he healed them. ²⁵And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan River.