Mark 6

1And he went out from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

2And when the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom given to him, and such mighty works happening through his hands?”

3Is this not 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 took offense at him.

4And Jesus was saying to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his household.”

5And he was not able to do any mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

6And he was amazed because of their unbelief. And he went around among the villages, teaching.

7And he called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, and he was giving 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 in their belt—

9but wear sandals, and do not put on two tunics.

10And he was saying to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.”

11And whatever place does not receive you or listen to you, as you leave there, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony against them.

12And they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

13And they were casting out many demons, and were 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 these powers are at work in him.”

15But others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and others were saying, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.”

16But when Herod heard it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

17For 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.

18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

19But Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not.

20For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly.

21And when an opportune day came, Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee,

22And when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, and pleased Herod and those reclining at the 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 of my kingdom.”

24And after going out, she said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptizer.”

25And she immediately went in with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once, on a platter, the head of John the Baptizer.”

26And the king, becoming deeply grieved, because of his oaths and those reclining at the table, did not want to refuse her.

27And immediately the king sent an executioner and ordered him to bring his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison.

28And he 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 up his body and laid it in a tomb.

30And the apostles gathered to Jesus, and they reported to him all that they had done and taught.

31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a little.” For many were coming and going, and they did not even have an opportunity to eat.

32And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

33And many saw them going and recognized them, and on foot from all the towns they ran there together and got there ahead of them.

34And when he went ashore, he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

35And when it was already very late, his disciples came to him and were saying, “This place is deserted, and it is already very late.”

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

37But he answered and said to them, “You yourselves give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Should we go and buy bread for two hundred denarii and give it to them to eat?”

38But he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

39And he commanded them all to recline in groups on the green grass.

40And they reclined in groups of hundreds and of fifties.

41And taking the five loaves and the two fish, looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves, and kept giving them to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all.

42And they all ate and were satisfied.

43And they picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces, and some of the fish.

44And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

45And immediately he compelled his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, toward Bethsaida, until he himself dismissed the crowd.

46And after saying goodbye to them, he went away to the mountain to pray.

47And when evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.

48And seeing them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them, about 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 that it was a ghost, and they cried out,

50For they all saw him and were troubled. But he immediately 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 stopped. And they were utterly astonished within themselves,

52for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

53And after crossing over to the land, they came to Gennesaret and moored there.

54And when they got out of the boat, immediately they recognized him.

55They ran throughout that whole region and began carrying those who were sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.

56And wherever he entered villages or cities or countryside, they were laying the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might even touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were being healed.