Jesus Heals Many

And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

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

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

The power and mercy of Christ were evident when he healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law. Jesus is bringing hope and healing to many people in need living in Capernaum (1:21). His powerful ministry of compassion does not just extend to a selected few but rather, it's offered generously and freely to "all" who are seeking help. This mirrors God’s plan for the salvation of mankind outlined in Genesis 12:3—He wishes his blessings of Christ would be shared with all the world.

In this paragraph, the Christian missionary spirit is prominently displayed. After Jesus wakes up early for prayer (1:35), He widens his ministry beyond just Capernaum and reaches out to numerous other towns—signifying God's passionate desire to bring blessings to many people. Later on in the Gospel, he sends His disciples on a mission within Israel (6:7–13) and at its conclusion, He gives them the task of preaching good news across the world (16:15; Matt 28:18–20)—and that mission continues today.

Mark's account of Jesus' miraculous healing of a leper is an emphatic demonstration of his power and compassion (1:40; 41). It also subtly underscores the importance that he placed on submission to God's law (1:44; Gal 4:4–5). As if to say, "See? He even did this!", Mark lingers over the details surrounding Christ’s display of authority in being able to heal such a dreaded disease. This passage further highlights what made him so remarkable — his willingness not only to exercise great strength but also His loving obedience towards God.

To demonstrate his authority to pardon sins, Jesus performs a miraculous healing of a paralyzed man as the final remarkable act in this series. Earlier accounts depicted Jesus reversing the consequences of sin—casting out demons, restoring health, and curing lepers (1:21-45). This incredible event serves to solidify how powerful our Lord is! Following the fall of man, Jesus not only reversed physical ramifications but also spiritual ones, most notably the forgiveness of sin. This incident is significant because it marks a turning point in Mark's narrative where Christ starts to encounter opposition from Jewish authorities (2:7).