Mark 6

1Jesus left that place and went to his hometown, and his disciples went with him. 2When the Sabbath came, he began teaching in the synagogue, and most of those who heard him were struck with amazement. “Where did this man get all this?” they said. “What is this wisdom that has been given to him? And what are these mighty works that his hands are doing?” 3Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and a brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon? And are his sisters not here among us? And they were offended by him. 4Jesus told them, “Everywhere a prophet is honored, except in his own town, among his own kin, and in his own family.” 5There he was not able to do any mighty work, apart from laying his hands on a few who were sick and healing them. 6Their unbelief amazed him. Then he went from village to village in that area, teaching. 7He called the Twelve to him and began sending them out in pairs, giving them authority over unclean spirits. 8He told them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick: no food, no traveler’s bag, and no coins in their belts. 9They were to wear sandals. “And do not put on a second tunic,” he said. 10He told them, “When you go into a house, stay in it until you leave that town. 11Where people will not take you in or hear what you say, shake off the dust from under your feet as you go, as a witness against them.”

12So they went out and called people to repent. 13They threw out demon after demon, and many who were sick they anointed with oil and made well.

14King Herod heard about it, for Jesus’ name had become widely known. People were saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead. That is why these powers are at work in him.” 15Others said, “It is Elijah,” and others again, “He is a prophet, one like the prophets of long ago.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “It is John, the man I beheaded. He has been raised!”

17It was Herod himself who had sent men to seize John and had tied him up in prison. He did it on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, since he had married her. 18John had kept telling Herod, “The law does not allow you to have your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted him dead, but she could not bring it about, 20because Herod stood in awe of John. He knew John was a righteous and holy man, so he kept him safe. Whenever he listened to John, he was left deeply troubled, and yet he liked to hear him.

21At last Herodias had her chance. Herod held a feast on his birthday for the great men of his court, the officers of his army, and the chief men of Galilee. 22Herodias’s own daughter came in and danced, and Herod and those at table with him were delighted with her. So the king told the girl, “Name anything you like, and I will give it to you.” 23He even swore an oath to her: “Anything you ask me for, I will give you, as much as half my kingdom.” 24The girl went out to her mother and said, “What should I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptizer,” her mother answered. 25Straight away she rushed back to the king and made her request. “I want the head of John the Baptist,” she said, “on a platter, and I want it now.” 26This grieved the king deeply. Yet he had sworn oaths in front of his guests, and he was not willing to break his word to her. 27At once the king sent one of his guards with orders to bring John’s head. The man went and beheaded John in the prison. 28He carried the head in on a platter and handed it to the girl, and she handed it to her mother. 29When John’s disciples heard about it, they came for his body and buried it in a tomb.

30The apostles returned to Jesus and gave him a report of all they had done and all they had taught. 31He said to them, “Come away on your own, to a place without people, and get a little rest.” There was a constant stream of people arriving and leaving, and they could not even find time for a meal. 32So they left in the boat, alone, for a remote spot. 33But many people saw them leaving and knew who they were. People from all the towns hurried there on foot and reached the place before them. 34When Jesus came ashore, he saw a great crowd. He felt deep pity for them, for they were like sheep with no shepherd, and he began to teach them at length.

35By now it was late in the day, and his disciples came to him and said, “No one lives out here, and it is getting late. 36Send the people away, so they can go to the farms and villages round about and get themselves some food.” 37But he replied, “You yourselves give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and spend eight months’ wages on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and look.” When they had found out, they told him, “Five, and two fish.” 39Then he ordered them to seat all the people on the green grass in companies, as at a meal. 40So they sat down in groups like the plots of a garden, in hundreds and in fifties. 41Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, and spoke a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and handed them again and again to the disciples to serve to the people. And he shared out the two fish among everyone. 42They all ate until they were full. 43Then they gathered up twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread, and of the fish too. 44The men who had eaten the loaves numbered 5,000.

45Right away Jesus pressed his disciples to board the boat and cross ahead of him to Bethsaida on the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 46After saying goodbye to them, he went off up the mountain to pray.

47When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48He saw them struggling at the oars, since the wind was against them. Toward the end of the night, in the fourth watch, he came out to them walking on the lake. He meant to pass by them. 49When they saw him walking on the lake, they took him for a ghost and cried out in fear, 50for every one of them saw him and they were shaken. But right away he spoke to them. “Be brave,” he said. “It is I. Stop being afraid.” 51Then he got into the boat beside them, and the wind dropped. They were beside themselves with amazement, 52for they had not grasped what the loaves showed. Their hearts had been hardened.

53When they had crossed the lake, they came ashore at Gennesaret and tied up the boat. 54As soon as they stepped out of the boat, people knew who he was. 55They ran all through that region and began bringing those who were ill on their mats to any place where they heard he was. 56Wherever he went, whether villages or towns or farms, people set their sick down in the marketplaces and pleaded with him to let them touch just the fringe of his cloak. Everyone who touched him was made well.