Mark 6

¹Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ²When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were astounded, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom given to him? And how are such works of power happening through his hands? ³Isn't this the craftsman, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

⁴But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household.” ⁵And he was not able to do any work of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶He was amazed at their lack of trust. Then he went around the villages in a circuit, teaching.

⁷He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no traveler’s bag, no copper coins in their belts— ⁹but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. ¹⁰He told them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area. ¹¹Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you leave there, shake the dust off from under your feet as a testimony against them.” ¹²So they went out and heralded the message that people should change their hearts and minds. ¹³They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

¹⁴King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’s name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and that is why these powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶But when Herod heard, he said, “The John whom I beheaded—this man has been raised!”

¹⁷For Herod himself had sent men to arrest John and bind him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom Herod had married. ¹⁸For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she was not able to, ²⁰because Herod stood in awe of John. Knowing him to be a man of justice and holiness, Herod protected him. When he heard John, he was deeply perplexed, yet he enjoyed listening to him.

²¹An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his high officials, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. ²²When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. 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 of my kingdom.”

²⁴She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother said, “The head of John the Baptizer.” ²⁵Immediately she rushed back to the king and made her request, saying, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” ²⁶The king became deeply distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷So the king immediately sent an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. The man went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

³⁰The Apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him everything they had done and taught. ³¹And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to an isolated place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have an opportunity to eat. ³²So they went away in the boat to an isolated place by themselves.

³³But many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴When Jesus stepped out, he saw a vast crowd and felt a gut-wrenching compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

³⁵When it grew late, his disciples approached him and said, “This is an isolated place and it’s already very late. ³⁶Send them away so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.” ³⁷But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹Then he ordered them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰They sat down in colorful ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. ⁴¹Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, spoke a blessing, and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. ⁴²Everyone ate and was satisfied. ⁴³And they picked up twelve full baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴There were five thousand men who ate the loaves.

⁴⁵Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶After saying goodbye to them, he went up onto the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. ⁴⁸Seeing them straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—about the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He intended to pass them by. ⁴⁹But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was an apparition and cried out, ⁵⁰for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke with them and said, “Take courage! I AM; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were utterly astounded within themselves, ⁵²for they had not understood about the loaves; instead, their hearts were calloused.

⁵³When they had crossed over to the land, they came to Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁵⁴As they were getting out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him. ⁵⁵They ran throughout that whole region and began to carry the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶And wherever he entered—villages, cities, or farms—they would lay the sick in the marketplaces and beg him that they might touch even the tassel of his garment. And as many as touched it were restored to health.