Mark
Chapter 6
1 He left that place, went to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
2 When the Sabbath came, he started to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were amazed and asked, “Where did this man get these things?” and “What kind of wisdom has been given to him that he can do such great deeds?”
3 Isn’t this the carpenter, Mary’s son, and the brother of James, Joses, Juda, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us? They were upset by him.
4 Jesus told them, “A prophet is respected everywhere except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own home.”
5 He could not do any great deeds there, except he touched a few sick people with his hands and healed them.
6 He was amazed at their lack of faith. He traveled through the towns, teaching.
7 He called the twelve to him and started to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over evil spirits.
8 He told them to take nothing for their trip, except a walking stick; no bag, no food, no money in their wallet.
9 Wear sandals, but don’t wear two coats.
10 He told them, “Whenever you go into a house, stay there until you leave that place.”
11 If anyone does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake off the dust under your feet as a warning to them. Truly, I tell you, it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah on judgment day than for that town.
12 They left and told people to change their ways.
13 They forced out many demons, put oil on many sick people, and healed them.
14 King Herod heard about Jesus because his name was well known. Herod thought that John the Baptist had come back to life, which is why such great miracles were happening through Jesus.
15 Some people said, “It is Elijah.” And others said, “It is a prophet, or one of the prophets.”
16 When Herod heard about it, he said, “It’s John, whom I cut off his head; he has come back to life.”
17 Herod had John arrested and put in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, since Herod had married her.
18 John told Herod, “It’s not right for you to be with your brother’s wife.”
19 Herodias was angry with him and wanted to kill him, but she couldn’t.
20 Herod was afraid of John because he knew he was a good and holy man, so he protected him. When he listened to John, he often followed his advice and enjoyed listening to him.
21 When a good day came, Herod had a dinner on his birthday for his important guests, military leaders, and the top people of Galilee.
22 When Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, making Herod and his guests happy, the king told the young woman, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.”
23 He promised her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to half of my kingdom.”
24 She went and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother replied, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist.”
25 She quickly went to the king and asked, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter right away.”
26 The king was very sorry; but because of his promise and the guests with him, he would not say no to her.
27 The king quickly sent an executioner to cut off his head and bring it. He did this in the prison.
28 They brought his head on a platter, gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.
29 When his followers found out, they came, picked up his body, and placed it in a tomb.
30 The apostles came to Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.
31 He told them, “Go alone to a quiet place and rest for a bit, because there were so many people coming and going, they didn’t even have time to eat.”
32 They left for a quiet place by boat, alone.
33 The people saw them leaving, and many recognized him. They ran on foot from all the cities, got there ahead of them, and gathered around him.
34 When Jesus came out, he saw many people and felt sorry for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, so he started to teach them many things.
35 When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This place is empty, and it’s already very late.”
36 Tell them to leave so they can go to the nearby countryside and towns, and buy their own food, because they have nothing to eat.
37 He replied, “Give them something to eat.” They asked him, “Should we go and spend two hundred coins on bread to feed them?”
38 He asks them, “How many bread loaves do you have? Go and check.” After checking, they answer, “Five, and two fish.”
39 He told them to have everyone sit in groups on the green grass.
40 They sat in groups, in hundreds and fifties.
41 He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, gave thanks, broke the bread, and gave it to his disciples to give to the people. He also shared the two fish with everyone.
42 Everyone ate and was satisfied.
43 They picked up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces and the fish.
44 About five thousand men ate the bread.
45 Right away, he made his followers get into the boat and go ahead to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he sent the crowd away.
46 After he sent them off, he went up a 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 struggling to row because the wind was against them. Near the fourth watch of the night, he came to them, walking on the sea, and was about to pass by them.
49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought he was a ghost and shouted.
50 They all saw him and were scared. But he quickly spoke to them and said, “Be happy: it’s me; don’t be afraid.”
51 He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; they were extremely surprised and amazed.
52 They did not understand the miracle of the bread because their hearts were hard.
53 After they crossed over, they arrived in the land of Gennesaret and approached the shore.
54 As soon as they got off the boat, they recognized him immediately.
55 They ran throughout all the area and started to bring the sick on their beds to wherever they heard he was.
56 Wherever he went—into towns, cities, or the countryside—they placed the ill people in the streets and asked him to let them touch just the edge of his clothes, and everyone who touched him was healed.