26. But God didn’t send Elijah to anyone except a widow at Zarephath in the territory of Sidon.
27. There were also many people with skin diseases in Israel in the prophet Elisha’s time. But God cured no one except Naaman from Syria.”
28. Everyone in the synagogue became furious when they heard this.
29. Their city was built on a hill with a cliff. So they got up, forced Jesus out of the city, and led him to the cliff. They intended to throw him off of it.
30. But Jesus walked right by them and went away.
31. Jesus went to Capernaum, a city in Galilee, and taught them on a day of worship.
32. The people were amazed at his teachings because he spoke with authority.
33. In the synagogue was a man possessed by a spirit, an evil demon. He shouted very loudly,
34. “Oh, no! What do you want with us, Jesus from Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
35. Jesus ordered the spirit, “Keep quiet, and come out of him!” The demon threw the man down in the middle of the synagogue and came out without hurting him.
36. Everyone was stunned. They said to one another, “What kind of command is this? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits, and they come out.”
37. So news about him spread to every place throughout the surrounding region.
38. Jesus left the synagogue and went to Simon’s house. Simon’s mother-in-law was sick with a high fever. They asked Jesus to help her.
39. He bent over her, ordered the fever to leave, and it went away. She got up immediately and prepared a meal for them.
40. When the sun was setting, everyone who had friends suffering from various diseases brought them to him. He placed his hands on each of them and cured them.
41. Demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus ordered them not to speak. After all, they knew he was the Messiah.
42. In the morning he went to a place where he could be alone. The crowds searched for him. When they came to him, they tried to keep him from leaving.
43. But he said to them, “I have to tell the Good News about the kingdom of God in other cities also. That’s what I was sent to do.”
44. So he spread his message in the synagogues of Judea.