Mark 6

¹And he went out from there and comes to his hometown, and his disciples follow him. ²When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and the many who heard him were struck with astonishment, saying, "Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom that has been given to him? And such powerful deeds done through his hands! ³Is this not the craftsman, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. ⁴And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household." ⁵And he was unable to do any powerful deed there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶And he was amazed at their unbelief. And he went around the surrounding villages teaching. ⁷And he summons the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff only—no bread, no bag, no copper coins in the belt— ⁹but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰And he said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, remain there until you leave that place. ¹¹And whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you leave there, shake off the dust from under your feet as a testimony against them." ¹²And they went out and proclaimed that people should turn back, ¹³and they were casting out many demons and anointing many sick people with oil and healing them.

¹⁴And King Herod heard of it, for his name had become well known, and people were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead, and because of this the powers are at work in him." ¹⁵But others were saying, "It is Elijah." And others were saying, "A prophet, like one of the prophets." ¹⁶But when Herod heard, he kept saying, "John, whom I beheaded—this one has been raised."

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent men to arrest John and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." ¹⁹And Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she was not able, ²⁰for Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, yet he listened to him gladly.

²¹But an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²²And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those reclining at table with him. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you." ²³And he swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you—up to half my kingdom." ²⁴And going out she said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer." ²⁵And coming in immediately with haste to the king, she made her request, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." ²⁶And though the king became deeply grieved, because of his oaths and those reclining at table he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷And immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison ²⁸and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹And when his disciples heard, they came and took his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

³⁰And the apostles gather to Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and all that they had taught. ³¹And he says to them, "Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they had no opportunity even to eat. ³²And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. ³³But many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴And when he got out, he saw a great crowd, and his heart went out to them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

³⁵And when the hour was already late, his disciples came to him and said, "This place is deserted and the hour is already late. ³⁶Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat." ³⁷But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they say to him, "Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?" ³⁸And he says to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out, they say, "Five—and two fish."

³⁹And he ordered them to have everyone recline in dining groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰And they sat down in garden plots, in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty. ⁴¹And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. And the two fish he divided among them all. ⁴²And everyone ate and was satisfied. ⁴³And they picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces, and also from the fish. ⁴⁴And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

⁴⁵And immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, toward Bethsaida, while he himself dismisses the crowd. ⁴⁶And after taking leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

⁴⁷And when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. ⁴⁸And seeing them straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—around the fourth watch of the night he comes to them, walking on the sea. And he intended to pass by them. ⁴⁹But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out, ⁵⁰for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke with them and says to them, "Take courage! I am. Do not be afraid." ⁵¹And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded within themselves, ⁵²for they had not understood about the loaves—rather, their hearts were hardened.

⁵³And having crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁵⁴And when they got out of the boat, immediately people recognized him ⁵⁵and ran about that whole region and began to carry around on mats those who were ill to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶And wherever he went—into villages or cities or countryside—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were healed.