Mark 6:19-41

¹⁹So Herodias was incensed against John, and wanted to put him to death, but was unable to do so,

²⁰because Herod stood in fear of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and protected him. He had listened to John, but still remained much perplexed, and yet he found pleasure in listening to him.

²¹A suitable opportunity, however, occurred when Herod, on his birthday, gave a dinner to his high officials, and his generals, and the foremost men in Galilee.

²²When his daughter — that is, the daughter of Herodias — came in and danced, she delighted Herod and those who were dining with him. “Ask me for whatever you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you”;

²³and he swore to her that he would give her whatever she asked him — up to half his kingdom.

²⁴The girl went out, and said to her mother “What must I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptiser,” answered her mother.

²⁵So she went in as quickly as possible to the king, and made her request. “I want you,” she said, “to give me at once, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.”

²⁶The king was much distressed; yet, because of his oath and of the guests at his table, he did not like to refuse her.

²⁷He immediately dispatched one of his bodyguard, with orders to bring John's head. The man went and beheaded John in the prison,

²⁸and, bringing his head on a dish, gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

²⁹When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took his body away, and laid it in a tomb.

³⁰When the apostles came back to Jesus, they told him all that they had done and all that they had taught.

³¹“Come by yourselves privately to some lonely spot,” he said, “and rest for a while” — for there were so many people coming and going that they had not time even to eat.

³²So they set off privately in their boat for a lonely spot.

³³Many people saw them going, and recognised them, and from all the towns they flocked together to the place on foot, and got there before them.

³⁴On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

³⁵When it grew late, his disciples came up to him, and said, “This is a lonely spot, and it is already late.

³⁶Send the people away, so that they may go to the farms and villages around and buy themselves something to eat.”

³⁷But Jesus answered, “It is for you to give them something to eat.” “Are we to go and spend almost a year's wages on bread,” they asked, “to give them to eat?”

³⁸“How many loaves have you?” he asked; “Go, and see.” When they had found out, they told him, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹Jesus directed them to make all the people take their seats on the green grass, in parties;

⁴⁰and they sat down in groups — in hundreds, and in fifties.

⁴¹Taking the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus looked up to heaven, and said the blessing; he broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples for them to serve out to the people, and he divided the two fish also amongst them all.