Mark 6
Christian Standard Bible
Rejection at Nazareth
6 He(A) left there and came to his hometown,(B) and his disciples(C) followed him. 2 When the Sabbath(D) came, he began to teach(E) in the synagogue,(F) and many who heard him were astonished. “Where did this man get these things?” they said. “What is this wisdom(G) that has been given to him, and how are these miracles(H) performed by his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter,(I) the son of Mary,(J) and the brother of James,(K) Joses, Judas,(L) and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” So they were offended(M) by him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet(N) is not without honor(O) except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” 5 He was not able to do a miracle(P) there, except that he laid his hands on(Q) a few sick(R) people and healed(S) them. 6 And he was amazed(T) at their unbelief.(U) He was going around the villages teaching.(V)
Commissioning the Twelve
7 He(W) summoned(X) the Twelve(Y) and began to send(Z) them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean(AA) spirits.(AB) 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a staff—no bread, no traveling bag,(AC) no money in their belts, 9 but to wear sandals and not put on an extra shirt.(AD) 10 He said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome(AE) you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet(AF) as a testimony(AG) against them.”[a] 12 So they went out and preached(AH) that people should repent.(AI) 13 They drove out many demons,(AJ) anointed(AK) many sick(AL) people with oil(AM) and healed them.(AN)
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 King(AO) Herod(AP) heard about it, because Jesus’s name(AQ) had become well known. Some[b] said, “John the Baptist(AR) has been raised from the dead,(AS) and that’s why miraculous powers(AT) are at work(AU) in him.” 15 But others said, “He’s Elijah.”(AV) Still others said, “He’s a prophet, like one of the prophets from long ago.”(AW)
16 When Herod(AX) heard of it, he said, “John,(AY) the one I beheaded, has been raised!” (AZ)
17 For(BA) Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain(BB) him in prison on account of Herodias,(BC) his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.(BD) 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful(BE) for you to have your brother’s wife.”(BF) 19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill(BG) him. But she could not, 20 because Herod feared(BH) John and protected him, knowing he was a righteous(BI) and holy(BJ) man. When Herod heard him he would be very perplexed,[c](BK) and yet he liked to listen to him.(BL)
21 An opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet(BM) for his nobles,(BN) military commanders,(BO) and the leading men of Galilee.(BP) 22 When Herodias’s own daughter[d] came in and danced,(BQ) she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 He promised her with an(BR) oath:(BS) “Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”(BT)
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”
“John the Baptist’s(BU) head,” she said.
25 At once she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s(BV) head on a platter(BW) immediately.” 26 Although the king was deeply distressed,(BX) because of his oaths(BY) and the guests[e] he did not want to refuse(BZ) her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples(CA) heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.(CB)
Feeding of the Five Thousand
30 The(CC) apostles(CD) gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, 33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they ran on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.[f]
34 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion(CE) on them, because they were like sheep(CF) without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
35 When it grew late, his disciples(CG) approached him and said, “This place is deserted,(CH) and it is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”
37 “You give them something to eat,” he responded.
They said to him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denarii[g] worth of bread and give them something to eat?”
38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was satisfied.(CI) 43 They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men.
Walking on the Water
45 Immediately(CJ) he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida,(CK) while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountain(CL) to pray.(CM) 47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 He saw them straining(CN) at the oars,[h] because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning[i] he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost(CO) and cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.(CP) Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage!(CQ) It is I.(CR) Don’t be afraid.”(CS) 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.(CT)
Miraculous Healings
53 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaret(CU) and anchored there.
54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized him. 55 They hurried throughout that region and began to carry the sick(CV) on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch just the end(CW) of his robe.(CX) And everyone who touched it was healed.
Footnotes
- 6:11 Other mss add Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom or Gomorrah on judgment day than for that town.
- 6:14 Other mss read He
- 6:20 Other mss read When he heard him, he did many things
- 6:22 Other mss read When his daughter Herodias
- 6:26 Lit and those reclining at the table
- 6:33 Other mss add and gathered around him
- 6:37 A denarius = one day’s wage
- 6:48 Or them being battered as they rowed
- 6:48 Lit Around the fourth watch of the night = 3 to 6 a.m.
Mark 6
English Standard Version
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
6 (A)He went away from there and came to (B)his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And (C)on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and (D)many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 (E)Is not this (F)the carpenter, the son of Mary and (G)brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And (H)they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, (I)“A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And (J)he could do no mighty work there, except that (K)he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And (L)he marveled because of their unbelief.
(M)And he went about among the villages teaching.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
7 (N)And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to (O)wear sandals and not put on two tunics.[a] 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, (P)shake off the dust that is on your feet (Q)as a testimony against them.” 12 (R)So they went out and (S)proclaimed (T)that people should repent. 13 (U)And they cast out many demons and (V)anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
The Death of John the Baptist
14 (W)King Herod heard of it, for Jesus'[b] name had become known. Some[c] said, (X)“John the Baptist[d] has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 (Y)But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is (Z)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” 17 (AA)For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and (AB)bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her. 18 (AC)For John had been saying to Herod, (AD)“It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod (AE)feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he (AF)heard him gladly.
21 But an opportunity came when Herod (AG)on his birthday (AH)gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, (AI)up to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's[e] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his (AJ)disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30 (AK)(AL)The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and (AM)they had no leisure even to eat. 32 (AN)And they went away in (AO)the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and (AP)recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he (AQ)saw a great crowd, and (AR)he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 (AS)Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, (AT)“You give them something to eat.” And (AU)they said to him, (AV)“Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii[f] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, (AW)“Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he (AX)looked up to heaven and (AY)said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 (AZ)Immediately he (BA)made his disciples get into (BB)the boat and go before him to the other side, (BC)to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, (BD)he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when (BE)evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about (BF)the fourth watch of the night[g] he came to them, walking on the sea. (BG)He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and (BH)were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, (BI)“Take heart; it is I. (BJ)Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for (BK)they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts (BL)were hardened.
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
53 (BM)When they had crossed over, they came to land at (BN)Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately (BO)recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring (BP)the sick people (BQ)on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, (BR)they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even (BS)the fringe of his garment. And (BT)as many as touched it were made well.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
