Mark 6

Rejection at Nazareth

1 He went away from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. "Where did this man get these things?" they said. "What is this wisdom given to Him, and how are these miracles performed by His hands?

3 Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't His sisters here with us?" So they were offended by Him.
4 Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household." 5 So He was not able to do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

6 And He was amazed at their unbelief.
Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching.

Commissioning the Twelve

7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a walking stick: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts. 9 They were to wear sandals, but not put on an extra shirt. 10 Then He said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.

11 If any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent.

13 And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with olive oil, and healing [them].

John the Baptist Beheaded

14 King Herod heard of this, because Jesus' name had become well known. Some said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that's why supernatural powers are at work in him."

15 But others said, "He's Elijah." Still others said, "He's a prophet-like one of the prophets."
16 When Herod heard of it, he said, "John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!" 17 For Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife!" 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not,

20 because Herod was in awe of John and was protecting him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very disturbed, yet would hear him gladly.
21 Now an opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I'll give it to you."

23 So he swore oaths to her: "Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24 Then she went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?"
"John the Baptist's head!" she said.

25 Immediately she hurried to the king and said, "I want you to give me John the Baptist's head on a platter-right now!"
26 Though the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.

29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.

Feeding 5,000

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while." For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, 33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.

34 So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.
35 When it was already late, His disciples approached Him and said, "This place is a wilderness, and it is already late!

36 Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat."

37 "You give them something to eat," He responded.
They said to Him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?"

38 And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look."
When they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."
39 Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties. 41 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was filled. 43 Then they picked up 12 baskets full of pieces of bread and fish.

44 Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

Walking on the Water

45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46 After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning He came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said, "Have courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,

52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Miraculous Healings

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and beached the boat. 54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Him. 55 They hurried throughout that vicinity and began to carry the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.

56 Wherever He would go, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch just the tassel of His robe. And everyone who touched it was made well.

Mark 6

1 And he went out from thence; and he cometh into his own country; and his disciples follow him.2 And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and what mean such mighty works wrought by his hands?3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him.4 And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages teaching.7 And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits;8 and he charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse;9 but to go shod with sandals: and, said he, put not on two coats.10 And he said unto them, Wheresoever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart thence.11 And whatsoever place shall not receive you, and they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony unto them.12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.14 And king Herod heard thereof; for his name had become known: and he said, John the Baptizer is risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him.15 But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets.16 But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen.17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.18 For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.19 And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not;20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was much perplexed; and he heard him gladly.21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, and the high captains, and the chief men of Galilee;22 and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him; and the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.24 And she went out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.26 And the king was exceeding sorry; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat, he would not reject her.27 And straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.29 And when his disciples heard thereof, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.30 And the apostles gather themselves together unto Jesus; and they told him all things, whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught.31 And he saith unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.32 And they went away in the boat to a desert place apart.33 And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them.34 And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, The place is desert, and the day is now far spent;36 send them away, that they may go into the country and villages round about, and buy themselves somewhat to eat.37 But he answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred shillings’ worth of bread, and give them to eat?38 And he saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.39 And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.41 And he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves; and he gave to the disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.42 And they all ate, and were filled.43 And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also of the fishes.44 And they that ate the loaves were five thousand men.45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away.46 And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the mountain to pray.47 And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.48 And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them:49 but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;50 for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he straightway spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.51 And he went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves;52 for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.53 And when they had crossed over, they came to the land unto Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.54 And when they were come out of the boat, straightway the people knew him,55 and ran round about that whole region, and began to carry about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.56 And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.