Marco 6
Conferenza Episcopale Italiana
Visita a Nazaret
6 Partito quindi di là, andò nella sua patria e i discepoli lo seguirono. 2 Venuto il sabato, incominciò a insegnare nella sinagoga. E molti ascoltandolo rimanevano stupiti e dicevano: «Donde gli vengono queste cose? E che sapienza è mai questa che gli è stata data? E questi prodigi compiuti dalle sue mani? 3 Non è costui il carpentiere, il figlio di Maria, il fratello di Giacomo, di Ioses, di Giuda e di Simone? E le sue sorelle non stanno qui da noi?». E si scandalizzavano di lui. 4 Ma Gesù disse loro: «Un profeta non è disprezzato che nella sua patria, tra i suoi parenti e in casa sua». 5 E non vi potè operare nessun prodigio, ma solo impose le mani a pochi ammalati e li guarì. 6 E si meravigliava della loro incredulità.
Missione dei dodici
Gesù andava attorno per i villaggi, insegnando.
7 Allora chiamò i Dodici, ed incominciò a mandarli a due a due e diede loro potere sugli spiriti immondi. 8 E ordinò loro che, oltre al bastone, non prendessero nulla per il viaggio: né pane, né bisaccia, né denaro nella borsa; 9 ma, calzati solo i sandali, non indossassero due tuniche. 10 E diceva loro: «Entrati in una casa, rimanetevi fino a che ve ne andiate da quel luogo. 11 Se in qualche luogo non vi riceveranno e non vi ascolteranno, andandovene, scuotete la polvere di sotto ai vostri piedi, a testimonianza per loro». 12 E partiti, predicavano che la gente si convertisse, 13 scacciavano molti demòni, ungevano di olio molti infermi e li guarivano.
Erode e Gesù
14 Il re Erode sentì parlare di Gesù, poiché intanto il suo nome era diventato famoso. Si diceva: «Giovanni il Battista è risuscitato dai morti e per questo il potere dei miracoli opera in lui». 15 Altri invece dicevano: «E' Elia»; altri dicevano ancora: «E' un profeta, come uno dei profeti». 16 Ma Erode, al sentirne parlare, diceva: «Quel Giovanni che io ho fatto decapitare è risuscitato!».
Esecuzione di Giovanni Battista
17 Erode infatti aveva fatto arrestare Giovanni e lo aveva messo in prigione a causa di Erodìade, moglie di suo fratello Filippo, che egli aveva sposata. 18 Giovanni diceva a Erode: «Non ti è lecito tenere la moglie di tuo fratello». 19 Per questo Erodìade gli portava rancore e avrebbe voluto farlo uccidere, ma non poteva, 20 perché Erode temeva Giovanni, sapendolo giusto e santo, e vigilava su di lui; e anche se nell'ascoltarlo restava molto perplesso, tuttavia lo ascoltava volentieri.
21 Venne però il giorno propizio, quando Erode per il suo compleanno fece un banchetto per i grandi della sua corte, gli ufficiali e i notabili della Galilea. 22 Entrata la figlia della stessa Erodìade, danzò e piacque a Erode e ai commensali. Allora il re disse alla ragazza: «Chiedimi quello che vuoi e io te lo darò». 23 E le fece questo giuramento: «Qualsiasi cosa mi chiederai, te la darò, fosse anche la metà del mio regno». 24 La ragazza uscì e disse alla madre: «Che cosa devo chiedere?». Quella rispose: «La testa di Giovanni il Battista». 25 Ed entrata di corsa dal re fece la richiesta dicendo: «Voglio che tu mi dia subito su un vassoio la testa di Giovanni il Battista». 26 Il re divenne triste; tuttavia, a motivo del giuramento e dei commensali, non volle opporle un rifiuto. 27 Subito il re mandò una guardia con l'ordine che gli fosse portata la testa. 28 La guardia andò, lo decapitò in prigione e portò la testa su un vassoio, la diede alla ragazza e la ragazza la diede a sua madre. 29 I discepoli di Giovanni, saputa la cosa, vennero, ne presero il cadavere e lo posero in un sepolcro.
Prima moltiplicazione dei pani
30 Gli apostoli si riunirono attorno a Gesù e gli riferirono tutto quello che avevano fatto e insegnato. 31 Ed egli disse loro: «Venite in disparte, in un luogo solitario, e riposatevi un pò». Era infatti molta la folla che andava e veniva e non avevano più neanche il tempo di mangiare. 32 Allora partirono sulla barca verso un luogo solitario, in disparte.
33 Molti però li videro partire e capirono, e da tutte le città cominciarono ad accorrere là a piedi e li precedettero. 34 Sbarcando, vide molta folla e si commosse per loro, perché erano come pecore senza pastore, e si mise a insegnare loro molte cose. 35 Essendosi ormai fatto tardi, gli si avvicinarono i discepoli dicendo: «Questo luogo è solitario ed è ormai tardi; 36 congedali perciò, in modo che, andando per le campagne e i villaggi vicini, possano comprarsi da mangiare». 37 Ma egli rispose: «Voi stessi date loro da mangiare». Gli dissero: «Dobbiamo andar noi a comprare duecento denari di pane e dare loro da mangiare?». 38 Ma egli replicò loro: «Quanti pani avete? Andate a vedere». E accertatisi, riferirono: «Cinque pani e due pesci». 39 Allora ordinò loro di farli mettere tutti a sedere, a gruppi, sull'erba verde. 40 E sedettero tutti a gruppi e gruppetti di cento e di cinquanta. 41 Presi i cinque pani e i due pesci, levò gli occhi al cielo, pronunziò la benedizione, spezzò i pani e li dava ai discepoli perché li distribuissero; e divise i due pesci fra tutti. 42 Tutti mangiarono e si sfamarono, 43 e portarono via dodici ceste piene di pezzi di pane e anche dei pesci. 44 Quelli che avevano mangiato i pani erano cinquemila uomini.
Gesù cammina sulle acque
45 Ordinò poi ai discepoli di salire sulla barca e precederlo sull'altra riva, verso Betsàida, mentre egli avrebbe licenziato la folla. 46 Appena li ebbe congedati, salì sul monte a pregare. 47 Venuta la sera, la barca era in mezzo al mare ed egli solo a terra. 48 Vedendoli però tutti affaticati nel remare, poiché avevano il vento contrario, gia verso l'ultima parte della notte andò verso di loro camminando sul mare, e voleva oltrepassarli. 49 Essi, vedendolo camminare sul mare, pensarono: «E' un fantasma», e cominciarono a gridare, 50 perché tutti lo avevano visto ed erano rimasti turbati. Ma egli subito rivolse loro la parola e disse: «Coraggio, sono io, non temete!». 51 Quindi salì con loro sulla barca e il vento cessò. Ed erano enormemente stupiti in se stessi, 52 perché non avevano capito il fatto dei pani, essendo il loro cuore indurito.
Guarigioni nel paese di Genesaret
53 Compiuta la traversata, approdarono e presero terra a Genèsaret. 54 Appena scesi dalla barca, la gente lo riconobbe, 55 e accorrendo da tutta quella regione cominciarono a portargli sui lettucci quelli che stavano male, dovunque udivano che si trovasse. 56 E dovunque giungeva, in villaggi o città o campagne, ponevano i malati nelle piazze e lo pregavano di potergli toccare almeno la frangia del mantello; e quanti lo toccavano guarivano.
Mark 6
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus goes to Nazareth
6 Jesus left that place. He went to his own town. His disciples went with him.[a]
2 When it was the Jewish day of rest, Jesus went to their meeting place. He began to teach the people who were there. Many of them were surprised about the things that he was saying to them. They said to each other, ‘How did this man learn all these things? How did he become so wise? How does he do all these powerful things? 3 We know he is an ordinary man. He is the carpenter.[b] He is the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Simon and Judas. His sisters live here in the town among us. Isn't that true?’ So the people there turned against Jesus.
4 Then Jesus said to them, ‘If a man is a prophet from God, people everywhere will respect him. But the people in his own town will not accept him. Even his own people and his own family will not respect him.’
5 Jesus could not do any powerful miracles in his own town. But he did put his hands on a few sick people and he made them well. 6 Jesus was very surprised because the people there would not believe in him.
Then he went to visit the other villages that were near there. He was teaching the people who lived in those villages.
Jesus sends the 12 apostles to tell God's message
7 Jesus asked his 12 apostles to come to him. He started to send them out to tell God's message to people. He sent them out two by two and he gave them authority over bad spirits.
8 Jesus told the disciples, ‘Only take a stick for the journey, nothing else. Do not take any bread or a bag. Do not take any money in your pockets. 9 Wear shoes but do not take extra clothes. 10 In each town, stay at the first house that you go into. Continue to stay there until you leave that town. 11 Perhaps you might go to a town where the people do not accept you. They will not listen to you. So you should leave that town. Clean that town's dirt off your feet. Then it will be clear that they have done something wrong.’
12 So the 12 apostles went out. They told people that they must change the way that they live. They must stop doing wrong things. 13 The disciples caused many bad spirits to come out of people. They also put olive oil on many sick people, and the sick people became well.
Herod kills John the Baptist
14 People were talking about Jesus. King Herod heard about what was happening.[c] Some people were saying that Jesus was really John the Baptist. They said that John had died, but he had become alive again. ‘That is why this man can do these very powerful things,’ they said.
15 Other people said, ‘This man is Elijah.’ And other people said, ‘He is a prophet. He is like one of God's prophets who lived a long time ago.’[d]
16 But when someone told Herod, he said, ‘This man is surely John. I sent a soldier to cut off his head. But he has become alive again!’
17 Herod himself had sent his soldiers to take hold of John. He had said to his soldiers, ‘Tie his hands and feet and put him in prison.’ Herod had done that because of his wife, Herodias. She had been the wife of Herod's brother, Philip. But Herod had married her. 18 John had said to him, ‘Herodias is your brother's wife. It is not right for you to have her as your wife.’[e]
19 So Herodias was angry with John. She wanted to kill him. But she could not do that, 20 because Herod was afraid of John. Herod knew that John was a good man and a servant of God. So Herod kept John safe. Herod liked to listen to the things that John said. But he did not know what to think about those things.
21 One day, Herodias had her chance. It was Herod's birthday and he asked many people to come to a special meal. Important men and officers came. The rulers from Galilee were also there. 22 The daughter of Herodias came in and she danced. Herod and his visitors were very happy when they saw her dance.
King Herod said to the girl, ‘Ask me for anything that you want. I will give it to you.’ 23 He made a strong promise, ‘I will give you anything that you ask me to give to you. I will even give you half of everything that I rule over.’
24 The girl went out and she said to her mother, ‘What should I ask him for?’ Her mother replied, ‘Ask for the head of John the Baptist.’
25 The girl went quickly to Herod and she said to him, ‘I want the head of John the Baptist. Put it on a plate! Do it now!’
26 Then Herod felt very sad. Because he had made a special promise, he did not want to refuse her. All his visitors had heard him. 27 So immediately, the king sent a soldier to go to John. The king told the soldier that he must bring John's head. So the soldier went to the prison and he cut off John's head there. 28 Then he brought it back on a plate. He gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 People told John's disciples about what had happened. So they went to the prison. They took away John's body and they buried it.
Jesus gives food to 5,000 men and their families
30 The apostles all came to Jesus. They told him about all the things that they had done. And they told him what they had taught. 31 Many people were coming to Jesus and then going away. Jesus and his disciples were too busy even to eat. So Jesus said to them, ‘Come with me to a place where there are no other people. We should be alone together. Then we can rest for a short time.’
32 So they left all the people behind. They went away in a boat together to a quiet place. 33 But many people saw that they were leaving the town. Those people recognized them. So they ran out from all the towns around there. They went on land and reached the place before Jesus and the disciples. 34 Jesus got out of the boat and he saw a large crowd. He felt sorry for them. He thought to himself, ‘These people are like sheep that have nobody to take care of them.’ So he began to teach them many things.
35 When it was almost evening time, Jesus' disciples came and said to him, ‘We are in a place where there are no houses. Soon it will be dark. 36 The people do not have anything to eat. So send them away now. Tell them to go to the farms and villages that are near here. Then they can buy some food for themselves to eat.’
37 ‘You should give them some food to eat,’ Jesus replied.
But the disciples said, ‘We cannot go to buy bread for all these people. A man must work for eight months to get the 200 coins that we would need for that.[f] We cannot get enough food to give to these people.’
38 Jesus asked them, ‘How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and see.’ When they had looked, they told Jesus, ‘We have five loaves and two fish.’
39 Then Jesus told all the people to sit down on the green grass. He wanted them to sit in large groups. 40 So the people sat down in groups. Each group had 50 or 100 people in it. 41 Then Jesus took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and he thanked God for the food. Then he broke the bread into pieces. He gave the pieces of bread to the disciples, and they gave the bread to the people. Jesus also broke the two fish into pieces for all the people. 42 Everyone ate and they all had enough food. They were not hungry any more. 43 Jesus' disciples then picked up all the bits of food that people had not eaten. They filled 12 baskets with little bits of bread and fish. 44 There were 5,000 men in the crowd that ate the food there.[g]
Jesus walks on water
45 Immediately after this, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Get into the boat and sail across the lake to Bethsaida.’ Jesus said that he would first send the crowd away. Then he would also leave. 46 So he said ‘goodbye’ to the crowd. Then he went up on a mountain to pray.
47 That evening, the boat with the disciples in it was in the middle of the lake. Jesus was still alone on the land. 48 But he could see his disciples. They were trying to make the boat move along. But it was very difficult for them because the wind was blowing in the opposite direction. Then, when it was nearly dawn, Jesus walked on the water towards his disciples. He seemed to be going on past them. 49 But they saw that he was walking on the water. They thought, ‘It is a spirit.’ And they screamed out. 50 They all saw him and they were very afraid. But immediately, Jesus said to them, ‘Be brave. It is I. Do not be afraid.’ 51 Then Jesus got into the boat to be with them. The strong wind stopped. The disciples were completely surprised about what had happened. 52 They did not understand what Jesus had done with the loaves of bread. They were not ready to learn.
Jesus makes many sick people well
53 They sailed across the lake. They reached the shore at Gennesaret and they tied the boat there. 54 When they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus immediately. 55 They went to tell everyone who lived in places near there. They brought sick people to Jesus. They carried those people to him on mats. Whenever they knew where Jesus was, they brought sick people to him there. 56 Jesus went to villages, towns and farms. Everywhere that he went, they brought sick people to the market places. The sick people asked Jesus for help. They wanted to touch even the edge of his coat. Every sick person who touched him became well.
Footnotes
- 6:1 Jesus' family lived in a town called Nazareth.
- 6:3 The people thought that they knew everything about Jesus. They believed that he was only an ordinary man.
- 6:14 The name of this Herod was Herod Antipas. He ruled Galilee region from 4 BC to AD 39.
- 6:15 Elijah was a prophet of God. He had spoken powerful messages from God and he had done many great things. God's prophet Malachi said that Elijah would return one day. See Malachi 4:5. But Jesus showed that Malachi was talking about John the Baptist, not about Jesus himself. See Matthew 17:10-13.
- 6:18 Herodias had left Philip, her first husband. Then Herod married her. So John told him what Moses had written in God's law. God's law said, ‘A man must not marry his brother's wife.’ See Leviticus 20:21. Herod was angry with John when he told him that. So Herod told his men that they must put John in prison.
- 6:37 These coins were called denarii. People who worked received about one coin each day.
- 6:44 Women and children also ate the loaves and the fish.
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