Jesus Preaches in Galilee

^35 (A)And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and ^(B)there he prayed. ³⁶ And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, ³⁷ and they found him and said to him, ^(C)“Everyone is looking for you.” ³⁸ And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for ^(D)that is why I came out.” ^39 (E)And ^(F)he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

^40 (G)And a leper^[a] came to him, imploring him, and ^(H)kneeling said to him, ^(I)“If you will, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” ⁴² And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. ⁴³ And ^(J)Jesus^[b] sternly charged him and sent him away at once, ⁴⁴ and said to him, ^(K)“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, ^(L)show yourself to the priest and ^(M)offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, ^(N)for a proof to them.” ^45 (O)But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter ^(P)a town, but was out in ^(Q)desolate places, and ^(R)people were coming to him from every quarter.