Mark 6:4-40

⁴“A prophet is treated with respect except in his home town, among his relatives, and within his own family,” Jesus told them.

⁵The result was that Jesus could not do any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people.

⁶He was amazed at their lack of trust. Jesus traveled around the villages, teaching as he went.

⁷He called together the twelve disciples, and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority over evil spirits.

⁸He told them not to take anything with them except a walking stick—no bread, no bag, and no money in their belts.

⁹They could wear sandals, but they were not to take an extra shirt.

¹⁰“When you're invited into a home, stay there until you leave,” he told them.

¹¹“If you're not welcomed and not listened to, then shake the dust from your feet as you leave as a sign you have given up on them.”

¹²So they went around telling people to repent.

¹³They drove out many demons, and healed many who were sick by anointing them with oil.

¹⁴King Herod got to hear about Jesus since he had become well-known. Some said, “This is John the Baptist risen from the dead. That's why he has such miraculous powers.”

¹⁵Others said, “It's Elijah.” Still others said, “He's a prophet, like one of the prophets of the past.”

¹⁶But when Herod heard about it, he said, “It's John, the one I beheaded! He's come back from the dead!”

¹⁷For Herod had given orders to arrest and imprison John because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married.

¹⁸John had been saying to Herod, “It's against the law to marry your brother's wife.”

¹⁹So Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted him killed. But she wasn't able to arrange it

²⁰because Herod knew John was a holy man who did what was right. Herod protected John and though what John said was very disturbing to him, he was still happy to hear what he had to say.

²¹Herodias had her opportunity on Herod's birthday. He gave a banquet for the nobles, military officers, and important leaders of Galilee.

²²Herodias' daughter came in and danced for them. Herod and those eating with him were delighted at her performance, so he told the girl,

²³“Ask me for whatever you like, and I'll give it to you.” He confirmed his promise with an oath, “I'll give you up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she replied.

²⁵The girl hurried back in and said to the king, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a plate.”

²⁶The king was very upset, but because of the oaths he'd made in front of his guests, he didn't want to refuse her.

²⁷So he immediately sent an executioner to bring him John's head. After beheading him in the prison,

²⁸the executioner brought John's head on a plate and gave it to the girl, and the young girl handed it to her mother.

²⁹When John's disciples heard what had happened they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.

³⁰The apostles returned and gathered around Jesus. They told him all they had done and what they had taught.

³¹“Come with me, just yourselves. We'll go to a quiet place, and rest for a while,” Jesus told them, because there was so much coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat.

³²So they went by boat to a quiet place to be alone.

³³But people saw them leaving and recognized them. So people from all the surrounding towns ran ahead and got there before them.

³⁴When Jesus got off the boat he saw a huge crowd, and he felt pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them about many things.

³⁵It was getting late in the day and Jesus' disciples came to him. They told him, “We're miles from anywhere, and it's really late.

³⁶You should tell the people to go and buy themselves something to eat in the villages and countryside nearby.”

³⁷But Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.” “What? We'd need more than six month's pay to buy bread to feed all these people,” the disciples replied.

³⁸“Well, how much bread do you have?” Jesus asked. “Go and see.” They went and checked, and told him, “Five loaves, and a couple of fish.”

³⁹Jesus told everyone to sit down in groups on the green grass.

⁴⁰They sat in groups of hundreds and fifties.