Jesus starts his work in Galilee
12 Then Jesus heard that Herod had put John the Baptist in prison. So Jesus returned to Galilee.
13 But he did not stay in Nazareth. He went to live in Capernaum, which is a town on the shore of Lake Galilee. It was in the part of Israel called Zebulun and Naphtali.
4:13Zebulun and Naphtali were the names of parts of Galilee. They were also the names of two of Jacob's sons. They lived in this land many years before.
14 This caused God's message to become true. Long ago God had said through his prophet Isaiah:
15 ‘I am speaking to you people who live in Zebulun and Naphtali.
4:15These people did not know God or his book very well. Isaiah said that they were like people who are walking in the dark. God promised to send his Son Jesus to them. He would be like a light to show them what God was like.
Your part of this country is on the way to Lake Galilee.
It is across the Jordan River in the part of the country called Galilee.
Some people who are not Jews live there.
16 They are like people who are living in the dark.
They live in the shadow which death brings.
God will send a light to shine on them.’
17 Then Jesus began to speak God's message to people. He said, ‘You have done many wrong things. You must turn away from them and change how you live. Do this now, because the kingdom of heaven has come very near.’