Mark 6
Jesus in his hometown
1Jesus left that place and came to his hometown. His disciples followed him.2On the Sabbath, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were surprised. “Where did this man get all this? What’s this wisdom he’s been given? What about the powerful acts accomplished through him?”3“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” They were repulsed by him and fell into sin.4Jesus said to them, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns, among their relatives, and in their own households.”5He was unable to do any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them.6He was appalled by their disbelief. Then Jesus traveled through the surrounding villages teaching.
Sending out the disciples
7He called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits.8He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick—no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts.9He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts.10He said, “Whatever house you enter, remain there until you leave that place.”11“ If a place doesn’t welcome you or listen to you, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a witness against them.”12So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives.13They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them.Death of John the Baptist
14Herod the king heard about these things, because the name of Jesus had become well-known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and this is why miraculous powers are at work through him.”15Others were saying, “He is Elijah.” Still others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the ancient prophets.”16But when Herod heard these rumors, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised to life.”17He said this because Herod himself had arranged to have John arrested and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Herod’s brother Philip. Herod had married her,18but John told Herod, “It’s against the law for you to marry your brother’s wife!”19So Herodias had it in for John. She wanted to kill him, but she couldn’t.20This was because Herod respected John. He regarded him as a righteous and holy person, so he protected him. John’s words greatly confused Herod, yet he enjoyed listening to him.
21Finally, the time was right. It was on one of Herod’s birthdays, when he had prepared a feast for his high-ranking officials and military officers and Galilee’s leading residents.22Herod’s daughter Herodias came in and danced, thrilling Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the young woman, “Ask me whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”23Then he swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give to you, even as much as half of my kingdom.”
24She left the banquet hall and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” “John the Baptist’s head,” Herodias replied.
25Hurrying back to the ruler, she made her request: “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a plate, right this minute.”26Although the king was upset, because of his solemn pledge and his guests, he didn’t want to refuse her.27So he ordered a guard to bring John’s head. The guard went to the prison, cut off John’s head,28brought his head on a plate, and gave it to the young woman, and she gave it to her mother.29When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came and took his dead body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus feeds five thousand people
30The apostles returned to Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.31Many people were coming and going, so there was no time to eat. He said to the apostles, “Come by yourselves to a secluded place and rest for a while.”32They departed in a boat by themselves for a deserted place.33Many people saw them leaving and recognized them, so they ran ahead from all the cities and arrived before them.34When Jesus arrived and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
35Late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place, and it’s already late in the day”.36“Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves.”
37He replied, “You give them something to eat.” But they said to him, “Should we go off and buy bread worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?”
38He said to them, “How much bread do you have? Take a look.” After checking, they said, “Five loaves of bread and two fish.”
39He directed the disciples to seat all the people in groups as though they were having a banquet on the green grass.40They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.41He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.42Everyone ate until they were full.43They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish.44About five thousand had eaten.