Mark 6

1 And he went out from there, and he comes into his home town, and his disciples follow him. 2 And when the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue; and the many who heard him were astounded, saying, “Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom given to him, and such acts of power happening through his hands? 3 Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are his sisters not here with us?” And they were made to stumble over him. [a] † 4 And Jesus was saying to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his home town and among his relatives and in his own house.” 5 And he could not do a single act of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. And he went around the villages in a circuit, teaching.

7 And he calls the twelve to him, and he began to send them out two by two, and he was giving them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 And he instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff only — no bread, no bag, no copper in the belt — [b] 9 but to be shod with sandals, and, “Do not put on two tunics.” [c] 10 And he was saying to them, “Wherever you go into a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 And whatever place does not welcome you and they do not listen to you, as you go out from there shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony to them.”

12 And they went out and proclaimed that people should have a change of mind, 13 and they were throwing out many demons and anointing with oil many who were sick, and healing them. †

14 And King Herod heard, for his name had become known, and they were saying, “John who immerses has been raised from the dead, and that is why the powers are at work in him.” [d] 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others were saying, “A prophet, like one of the prophets.” 16 But when Herod heard he was saying, “John, whom I beheaded — this man has been raised.”

17 For Herod himself had sent and seized John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. 18 For John kept saying to Herod, “It is not permitted for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, and could not; 20 for Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe; and when he heard him he was much perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

21 And an opportune day came, when Herod on his birthday made a dinner for his nobles and the commanders of a thousand and the leading men of Galilee. 22 And when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those reclining with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” [e] 23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

24 And she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John who immerses.” 25 And she came in at once, in a hurry, to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once, on a platter, the head of John the Immerser.” 26 And the king became deeply grieved, but because of the oaths and those reclining with him he did not want to refuse her.

27 And at once the king sent an executioner and ordered him to bring his head. And he went away and beheaded him in the prison, [f] 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

30 And the apostles gather to Jesus and reported to him everything, all that they had done and all that they had taught. 31 And he says to them, “Come, you yourselves, by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a little.” For there were many coming and going, and they had no time even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 And many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran together there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 And when he came out he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep with no shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. [g]

35 And when the hour was already late his disciples came to him and were saying, “The place is deserted and the hour is already late. 36 Send them away, so that they can go into the fields and villages round about and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered and said to them, “You give them something to eat.” And they say to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of loaves, and give it to them to eat?” [h] 38 But he says to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they knew, they say, “Five, and two fish.”

39 And he ordered them all to recline company by company on the green grass. 40 And they lay down plot by plot, by hundreds and by fifties. [i] 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves and was giving them to his disciples to set before them; and he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were filled, 43 and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces, and of the fish. [j] 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

45 And at once he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sends the crowd away. 46 And after taking leave of them he went away to the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48 And seeing them tormented at the oars — for the wind was against them — about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them, walking on the sea; and he wanted to pass by them.

49 But when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and they cried out; 50 for they all saw him and were shaken. But at once he spoke with them, and says to them, “Take heart — I am; do not be afraid.” [k] 51 And he went up to them into the boat, and the wind dropped. And they were utterly and completely beside themselves, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves, but their heart was hardened. [l]

53 And when they had crossed over to the land they came to Gennesaret and moored there. 54 And when they had come out of the boat, at once people recognized him, 55 and they ran around that whole region and began to carry the sick about on their mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or into towns or into fields, they would lay the sick in the marketplaces and beg him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and as many as touched him were saved.