Chapter 6
1 He went out from there . He came into his own country , and his disciples followed him .
2 When the Sabbath had come , he began to teach in the synagogue , and many hearing him were astonished , saying , " Where did this man get these things ?" and , " What is the wisdom that is given to this man , that such mighty works come about by his hands ?
3 Isn’ t this the carpenter , the son of Mary and brother of James , Joses , Judah , and Simon ? Aren’ t his sisters here with us ?" So they were offended at him .
4 Jesus said to them , " A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country , and amongst his own relatives , and in his own house ."
5 He could do no mighty work there , except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them .
6 He marvelled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching .
7 He called to himself the twelve , and began to send them out two by two ; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits .
8 He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey , except a staff only : no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse ,
9 but to wear sandals , and not put on two tunics .
10 He said to them , " Wherever you enter into a house , stay there until you depart from there .
11 Whoever will not receive you nor hear you , as you depart from there , shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them . Assuredly, I tell you , it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that city!"
12 They went out and preached that people should repent .
13 They cast out many demons , and anointed many with oil who were sick and healed them .
14 King Herod heard this , for his name had become known , and he said , " John the Baptiser has risen from the dead , and therefore these powers are at work in him ."
15 But others said , " He is Elijah ." Others said , " He is a prophet , or like one of the prophets ."
16 But Herod , when he heard this , said , " This is John , whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead."
17 For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias , his brother Philip ’s wife , for he had married her .
18 For John had said to Herod , " It is not lawful for you to have your brother’ s wife ."
19 Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him , but she couldn’ t ,
20 for Herod feared John , knowing that he was a righteous and holy man , and kept him safe . When he heard him , he did many things , and he heard him gladly .
21 Then a convenient day came when Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee .
22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced , she pleased Herod and those sitting with him . The king said to the young lady, " Ask me whatever you want , and I will give it to you ."
23 He swore to her , " Whatever you ask of me , I will give you , up to half of my kingdom."
24 She went out and said to her mother , " What shall I ask ?" She said , " The head of John the Baptiser."
25 She came in immediately with haste to the king and requested, " I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptiser on a platter ."
26 The king was exceedingly sorry , but for the sake of his oaths and of his dinner guests, he didn’ t wish to refuse her .
27 Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard and commanded to bring John ’s head ; and he went and beheaded him in the prison ,
28 and brought his head on a platter , and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother .
29 When his disciples heard this , they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb .
30 The apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus , and they told him all things , whatever they had done , and whatever they had taught .
31 He said to them , " Come away into a deserted place , and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going , and they had no leisure so much as to eat .
32 They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves .
33 They saw them going , and many recognised him and ran there on foot from all the cities . They arrived before them and came together to him .
34 Jesus came out , saw a great multitude , and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd ; and he began to teach them many things .
35 When it was late in the day , his disciples came to him and said , " This place is deserted , and it is late in the day .
36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat ."
37 But he answered them , " You give them something to eat ." They asked him , " Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat ?"
38 He said to them , " How many loaves do you have ? Go see ." When they knew , they said , " Five , and two fish ."
39 He commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass .
40 They sat down in ranks , by hundreds and by fifties .
41 He took the five loaves and the two fish ; and looking up to heaven , he blessed and broke the loaves, and he gave to his disciples to set before them , and he divided the two fish amongst them all .
42 They all ate and were filled .
43 They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and also of the fish .
44 Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men .
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side , to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away.
46 After he had taken leave of them , he went up the mountain to pray .
47 When evening had come , the boat was in the middle of the sea , and he was alone on the land .
48 Seeing them distressed in rowing , for the wind was contrary to them , about the fourth watch of the night he came to them , walking on the sea ; and he would have passed by them ,
49 but they , when they saw him walking on the sea , supposed that it was a ghost , and cried out ;
50 for they all saw him and were troubled . But he immediately spoke with them and said to them , "Cheer up ! It is I ! Don’ t be afraid ."
51 He got into the boat with them ; and the wind ceased , and they were very amazed amongst themselves , and marvelled;
52 for they hadn’ t understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened .
53 When they had crossed over , they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore .
54 When they had come out of the boat , immediately the people recognised him ,
55 and ran around that whole region , and began to bring those who were sick on their mats to where they heard he was .
56 Wherever he entered — into villages , or into cities , or into the country— they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment ; and as many as touched him were made well .