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Mark 6

1He left there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2When the Sabbath came, he began teaching in the synagogue. The many who heard him were astonished: “Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom given to him, and such deeds of power done through his hands? 3Is this not the craftsman, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household.” 5He could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6He marveled at their unbelief.

He went around the surrounding villages, teaching. 7He called the Twelve and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no copper in their belts—9but to wear sandals. “And do not wear two tunics.” 10He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11If a place will not receive you and people will not listen to you, shake off the dust from beneath your feet as you leave, as a testimony to them.” 12They went out and proclaimed that people should repent. 13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

14King Herod heard about him, for his name had become known. People were saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and that is why these powers are at work in him.” 15Others said, “He is Elijah.” Still others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.” 16But when Herod heard, he said, “John, whom I beheaded—he has been raised!”

17For Herod himself had sent men to seize John and had bound him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” 19Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not, 20because Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, yet he listened to him gladly.

21An opportunity came when Herod gave a birthday banquet for his nobles, military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. 22Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, pleasing Herod and those reclining with him. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23He swore to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She said, “The head of John the Baptizer.” 25Immediately she hurried in to the king and asked, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.” 26The king became deeply grieved, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he would not refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29When John's disciples heard, they came and took his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported everything they had done and taught. 31He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a little.” For many were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33But many saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran there on foot together from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34When he stepped ashore, he saw a large crowd and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began teaching them many things.

35When it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and it is already late. 36Send them away, so that they can go into the surrounding farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?” 38He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39He ordered them to have everyone recline in groups on the green grass. 40They reclined in rows, in hundreds and fifties. 41Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, spoke a blessing, and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. 42They all ate and were filled. 43They picked up twelve baskets full of broken pieces, and some of the fish. 44Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

45Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46After saying farewell to them, he went up the mountain to pray. 47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48He saw them struggling at the oars, for the wind was against them. Around the fourth watch of the night he came toward them, walking on the sea, and he intended to pass by them. 49When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought he was a ghost and cried out, 50for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke with them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were utterly astonished within themselves, 52for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored there. 54As they stepped out of the boat, people immediately recognized him 55and ran around that whole region, beginning to carry the sick on mats wherever they heard he was. 56Wherever he entered villages, towns, or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. All who touched him were saved.

Translation notes 7

5:23, 28, 34; 6:56; 10:52 — “Saved.” The Greek verb sōzō can mean rescue, heal, or save. In these scenes physical restoration is in view; “made well” is a natural English equivalent. Retaining “saved” makes the repeated word visible, including its later use in sayings about life and salvation. It does not require every occurrence to have an identical theological scope.

6:3–5 — Craftsman; inability. “Craftsman” translates tektōn, traditionally “carpenter”; the word does not by itself specify the material worked. Mark identifies Jesus as the craftsman and Mary's son. “Could do no deed of power” preserves the statement of inability rather than changing it to unwillingness.

6:8–9 — Staff and sandals. Mark allows these. The instructions are not rewritten to agree verbally with the parallel accounts.

6:22 — Herodias's daughter. SBLGNT reads “Herodias's own daughter.” Another important reading is “his daughter Herodias,” referring grammatically to Herod. The girl is not named Salome in Mark's text.

6:37; 14:5 — Denarii. A denarius was a Roman silver coin. The large amounts are retained rather than converted into modern dollars, whose purchasing power would imply false precision.

6:40 — Rows. The Greek word's ordinary picture is garden plots or beds; here its repeated form describes the crowd's ordered arrangement. “Rows” conveys that use without adding a comparison to flowers or vegetables.

6:48–50 — Passing by. The fourth watch is the final watch of the night. Mark says Jesus intended to pass by them; the draft does not substitute “reach them.” A connection with biblical scenes of divine self-disclosure is possible. “It is I” can also be rendered “I am,” but the phrase itself can be ordinary self-identification.