Mark Chapter 6
Last Visit to Nazareth
1 He left for his hometown with his disciples. 2 When Sabbath came, he taught in the synagogue, and many were astonished when they heardp him: “Where’d he get that wisdom and those miracles he does with his hands? 3 Isn’t this the builder, Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here?” They were put off by him.
4 Jesus told them, “A prophet is respected everywhere except in his hometown, among his relatives, in his own family.” 5 He couldn’t do any miracle there—except he did lay hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 He was amazed at their disbelief.
He continued to move around the villages and teach.
Mk 6:1-6
Mission of the Twelve
7 He calledp the Twelve aside and got them ready to go out in pairs with authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them not to take anything except a staff—no bread, traveler’s bag, or money in their belt, 9 but to wear sandals. “Don’t take two shirts to wear. 10 Stay at whatever house you enter till you leave the area. 11 If a place doesn’t welcome you or listen to you, leave and shake the dust off your feet as a statement to them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They were casting out demons and anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them.
Mk 6:7-13
Herod’s Stricken Conscience
14 King HerodAntipas heard about him because Jesus had become well known. People were saying John the Baptist had arisen from the dead and that was why miraculous powers were working in him. 15 Others were saying he was Elijah or like one of the prophets. 16 When Herod heard about it, he said, “John that I beheaded has resurrected.” 17 Herod himself had sent and arrested John and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he’d married her. 18 John kept telling Herod, “It’s against the Law for you to be living with your brother’s wife.” 19 Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to have him killed; but she couldn’t 20 because Herod was afraid of him. He knew he was upright and holy, and he protected him. He listened to him many times and was confused, but he liked to listen to him.
21 A chance came on his birthday when Herod held a banquet for his officials, military commanders, and prominent men of Galilee. 22 When, Salome, his step-daughter—daughter of Herodias—came in and danced, it pleased Herod and the ones reclining at table with him. The king said to the girl “Ask for whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 He strongly swore to her, “I’ll give you whatever you ask for up to half my kingdom.”
24 She went out and asked her mother what to ask for.
“The head of John the Baptist!”
25 She hurried back and asked, “I want you to give me right now on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
26 Herod became deeply grieved; but because of his oaths and the guests, he wasn’t willing to refuse her. 27 He sent an executioner to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and got his corpse and put it in a tomb.
Mk 6:14-29
Feeding the 5,000
30 The apostles he’d sent out came backp to Jesus and reported what all they’d done and taught. 31 He saidp, “Come off by yourselves away from the crowds and rest awhile.” So many people were coming and going they didn’t even have time to eat. 32 They left in a boat to a place off by themselves.
33 People saw them leaving and many figured out where they were going. They ran from the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd and felt sorry for them: they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them a lot of things.
35 When it was getting quite late, his disciples came to him, “Nobody lives around here, and it’s getting late. 36 Dismiss them so they can go into the countryside and villages to buy food.”
37 But he answered, “You feed them.”
“Should we go spend 200 denarii on bread to feed them!?”
38 “Go see how many loaves you have.”
They found five, and two fish.
39 He told his disciples to have everybody sit down on the green grass 40 in groups of 50 and 100. 41 He took the five loaves and two fish, and looked up at the sky, blessed and broke the loaves, and started giving them to his disciples to pass out to the crowd, and distributed the two fish for everybody. 42 They all ate till they were full. 43 The disciples picked up twelve baskets of fish and bread pieces. 44 5,000 men had eaten the loaves.
Mk 6:30-44
Jesus Walking on the Water
45 Jesus urged his disciples to get in the boat right away and go on to Bethsaida, on the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 When he’d said goodbye to them, he went up on the hill to pray. 47 In the evening the boat was out on the lake, and he was by himself on land. 48 He saw them straining at the oars because the wind was against them. About 4 in the morning, he went to them walking on the water as if he intended to go on by. 49 When they saw him walking on the water, they thought he was a ghost and cried out 50 terrified. At once he spokep, “It’s me. Don’t let me scare you.” 51 He climbed up into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were astounded. 52 They hadn’t got the point about the loaves. They weren’t catching on.
Mk 6:45-52
Miracles at Gennesaret
53 When they’d crossed over to land, they tied up at Gennesaret. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized him. 55 They hurried around the vicinity and started bringing sick people on stretchers to wherever they would hear he was. 56 Whatever villages, towns, or countryside he’d go to, they’d put sick people in the marketplaces and appeal to him just to touch his clothes. As many as touched him were cured.
Mk 6:53-56