Mark 6
Common English Bible
Jesus in his hometown
6 Jesus left that place and came to his hometown. His disciples followed him. 2 On 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.
4 Jesus said to them, “Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own hometowns, among their relatives, and in their own households.” 5 He was unable to do any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 He was appalled by their disbelief.
Sending out the disciples
Then Jesus traveled through the surrounding villages teaching.
7 He called for the Twelve and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a walking stick—no bread, no bags, and no money in their belts. 9 He told them to wear sandals but not to put on two shirts. 10 He 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.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should change their hearts and lives. 13 They cast out many demons, and they anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them.
Death of John the Baptist
14 Herod 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.” 15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah.” Still others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the ancient prophets.” 16 But when Herod heard these rumors, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised to life.”
17 He 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, 18 but John told Herod, “It’s against the law for you to marry your brother’s wife!” 19 So Herodias had it in for John. She wanted to kill him, but she couldn’t. 20 This 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.
21 Finally, 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. 22 Herod’s daughter Herodias[a] 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.” 23 Then he swore to her, “Whatever you ask I will give to you, even as much as half of my kingdom.”
24 She left the banquet hall and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”
“John the Baptist’s head,” Herodias replied.
25 Hurrying 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.” 26 Although the king was upset, because of his solemn pledge and his guests, he didn’t want to refuse her. 27 So he ordered a guard to bring John’s head. The guard went to the prison, cut off John’s head, 28 brought his head on a plate, and gave it to the young woman, and she gave it to her mother. 29 When 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
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 31 Many 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.” 32 They departed in a boat by themselves for a deserted place.
33 Many people saw them leaving and recognized them, so they ran ahead from all the cities and arrived before them. 34 When 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.
35 Late 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.”
37 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
But they said to him, “Should we go off and buy bread worth almost eight months’ pay[b] and give it to them to eat?”
38 He said to them, “How much bread do you have? Take a look.”
After checking, they said, “Five loaves of bread and two fish.”
39 He directed the disciples to seat all the people in groups as though they were having a banquet on the green grass. 40 They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He 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. 42 Everyone ate until they were full. 43 They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish. 44 About five thousand had eaten.
Jesus walks on water
45 Right then, Jesus made his disciples get into a boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake, toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After saying good-bye to them, Jesus went up onto a mountain to pray. 47 Evening came and the boat was in the middle of the lake, but he was alone on the land. 48 He saw his disciples struggling. They were trying to row forward, but the wind was blowing against them. Very early in the morning, he came to them, walking on the lake. He intended to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost and they screamed. 50 Seeing him was terrifying to all of them. Just then he spoke to them, “Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” 51 He got into the boat, and the wind settled down. His disciples were so baffled they were beside themselves. 52 That’s because they hadn’t understood about the loaves. Their minds had been closed so that they resisted God’s ways.
Healings at Gennesaret
53 When Jesus and his disciples had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret, anchored the boat, 54 and came ashore. People immediately recognized Jesus 55 and ran around that whole region bringing sick people on their mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went—villages, cities, or farming communities—they would place the sick in the marketplaces and beg him to allow them to touch even the hem of his clothing. Everyone who touched him was healed.
Mark 6
The Message
Just a Carpenter
6 1-2 He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He stole the show, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?”
3 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.
4-6 Jesus told them, “A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.
The Twelve
7-8 Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions:
8-9 “Don’t think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.
10 “And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.
11 “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way.”
12-13 Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits.
The Death of John
14 King Herod heard of all this, for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips. He said, “This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead—that’s why he’s able to work miracles!”
15 Others said, “No, it’s Elijah.”
Others said, “He’s a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets.”
16 But Herod wouldn’t budge: “It’s John, sure enough. I cut off his head, and now he’s back, alive.”
17-20 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias “adultery.” Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him, but didn’t dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt—and yet he couldn’t stay away. Something in John kept pulling him back.
21-22 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias’s daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She charmed Herod and the guests.
22-23 The king said to the girl, “Ask me anything. I’ll give you anything you want.” Carried away, he kept on, “I swear, I’ll split my kingdom with you if you say so!”
24 She went back to her mother and said, “What should I ask for?”
“Ask for the head of John the Baptizer.”
25 Excited, she ran back to the king and said, “I want the head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!”
26-29 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. The king sent the executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John’s head. He went, cut off John’s head, brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and got the body and gave it a decent burial.
Supper for Five Thousand
30-31 The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught. Jesus said, “Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat.
32-34 So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.
35-36 When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.”
37 Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.”
They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”
38 But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.”
That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.”
39-44 Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five thousand were at the supper.
Walking on the Sea
45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.
47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared to death.
50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.
53-56 They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at the landing. As soon as they got out of the boat, word got around fast. People ran this way and that, bringing their sick on stretchers to where they heard he was. Wherever he went, village or town or country crossroads, they brought their sick to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his coat—that’s all. And whoever touched him became well.
Mark 6
Lexham English Bible
Rejected at Nazareth
6 And he went out from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And when[a] the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him[b] were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom that has been granted to this man, and the miracles such as these performed through his hands? 3 Is not this 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 were offended by him. 4 And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household.” 5 And he was not able to do any miracle in that place except to lay his[c] hands on a few sick people and[d] heal them.[e] 6 And he was astonished because of their unbelief.
The Twelve Commissioned and Sent Out
And he was going around among the villages teaching. 7 And he summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 And he commanded them that they take along nothing for the journey except only a staff—no bread, no traveler’s bag, no money in their[f] belts— 9 but to put on sandals and not to wear two tunics. 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you[g] go out from there, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.” 12 And they went out and[h] proclaimed that people[i] should repent. 13 And they were expelling many demons and anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them.[j]
Herod Kills John the Baptist
14 And King Herod heard it,[k] because his name had become known. And they were saying, “John, the one who baptizes, has been raised from the dead, and because of this these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the prophets.” 16 But when[l] Herod heard it,[m] he said, “John whom I beheaded—this one has been raised!” 17 For Herod himself had sent and[n] arrested John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not permitted for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and was wanting to kill him, and was not able to do so. 20 For Herod was afraid of John, because he[o] knew him to be a righteous and holy man and protected him. And when he[p] listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly. 21 And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent men of Galilee. 22 And when[q] the daughter of Herodias herself[r] came in and danced and pleased[s] Herod and his dinner guests,[t] the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it[u] to you.” 23 And he swore to her,[v] “Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” 24 And she went out and[w] said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and[x] asked, saying, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 And although he[y] was deeply grieved, the king, because of his[z] oaths and dinner guests,[aa] did not want to refuse her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner and[ab] ordered him[ac] to bring his head. And he went and[ad] beheaded him in the prison. 28 And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 And when[ae] his disciples heard this,[af] they came and took away his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
The Feeding of Five Thousand
30 And the apostles regathered to Jesus and reported to him everything that they had done and that they had taught. 31 And he said to them, “You yourselves come privately to an isolated place and rest for a short time.” For those who were coming and going were many, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to an isolated place by themselves. 33 And many people saw them leaving and recognized them,[ag] and ran there together by land from all the towns, and arrived ahead of them. 34 And getting out of the boat[ah] he saw the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without[ai] a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35 And the hour had already become late when[aj] his disciples came up to him, saying, “The place is desolate and the hour is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding farms and villages and[ak] purchase something to eat for themselves.” 37 But he answered and[al] said to them, “You give them something[am] to eat.” And they said to him, “Should we go and[an] purchase bread for two hundred denarii and give it[ao] to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they[ap] found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 And he ordered them all to recline in groups on the green grass. 40 And they reclined in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish and[aq] looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves and gave them[ar] to his disciples so that they could set them[as] before them. And he distributed the two fish to them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they picked up the broken pieces, twelve baskets full, and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 And immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he[at] had said farewell to them, he went away to the mountain to pray. 47 And when[au] evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw them being beaten in their rowing[av] because the wind was against them. Around the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he was wanting to pass by them. 49 But when[aw] they saw him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out. 50 For they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke with them and said to them, “Have courage, I am he! Do not be afraid!” 51 And he went up with them into the boat, and the wind abated. And they were extraordinarily[ax] astounded within themselves, 52 because they did not understand concerning the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Many Healed at Gennesaret
53 And after they[ay] had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 And as they were getting out of the boat, people[az] recognized him immediately. 55 They ran about through that whole region and began to carry around those who were sick[ba] on stretchers, wherever they heard that he was. 56 And wherever he would go, into villages or into towns or to farms, they would put those who were sick in the marketplaces and would implore him that if they could touch even the edge of his cloak. And all those who touched it were healed.
Footnotes
- Mark 6:2 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came”)
- Mark 6:2 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:5 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 6:5 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“lay”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:5 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:8 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 6:11 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“go out”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:12 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:12 Here “people” is supplied as the subject because a third-person pronoun (“they”) would be ambiguous
- Mark 6:13 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:14 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:16 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:16 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:17 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“had sent”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:20 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“knew”) which is understood as causal
- Mark 6:20 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participles (“came in” and “danced”) which are understood as temporal
- Mark 6:22 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came in”)
- Mark 6:22 In place of “the daughter of Herodias herself” some manuscripts have “his daughter Herodias”
- Mark 6:22 Some manuscripts have “danced, she pleased”
- Mark 6:22 Literally “those reclining at table with him”
- Mark 6:22 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:23 Some manuscripts add “at length”
- Mark 6:24 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went out”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:25 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came in”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:26 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was”) which is understood as concessive
- Mark 6:26 Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
- Mark 6:26 Literally “those who were reclining at table”
- Mark 6:27 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“sent”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:27 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:27 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:29 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:29 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:33 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:34 The words “of the boat” are not in the Greek text but are implied by this verb, which refers to disembarking from a boat or ship
- Mark 6:34 Literally “not having”
- Mark 6:35 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came up”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:36 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:37 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:37 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:37 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“go”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Mark 6:37 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:38 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“found out”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:41 Here “and” is supplied in the translation because of English style
- Mark 6:41 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:41 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Mark 6:46 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“went away”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:47 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle (“came”)
- Mark 6:48 Or “being held up in their progress”
- Mark 6:49 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:51 Literally “exceedingly extremely”
- Mark 6:53 Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had crossed over”) which is understood as temporal
- Mark 6:54 Here “people” is supplied as the subject of the verb because the third person pronoun “they” could be confused with the disciples getting out of the boat earlier in this verse
- Mark 6:55 Literally “who were having badly”
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