Mark 6
1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
Jesus left [Capernaum city and went to his hometown, Nazareth]. His disciples went with him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing [him] were astonished, saying, From whence hath this [man] these things? and what wisdom [is] this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
(On the Sabbath/On the Jewish rest day), [he entered] the Jewish worship house and taught [the people]. Many who were listening to him were astonished. [But some] were saying, “[This man is just an ordinary person like we are! So (we cannot believe that] this man [is able to teach us] about these things and that he has been made very wise {that [God] has made him very wise} and that he is performing such miracles![/how is it that] [RHQ] this man [is able to teach us] about these things and that he has been made very wise {that [God] has made him very wise} and that he is performing such miracles?) [RHQ]
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
([We know that] he is [just an ordinary] carpenter!/Isn’t he [just an ordinary] carpenter [RHQ]?) [We know him and his family! We know] Mary his mother! ([We know] his [younger] brothers James, Joses, Judas and Simon!/Are not his [younger] brothers James, Joses, Judas and Simon?) [RHQ] And (his [younger] sisters also live here in this town!/do not his [younger] sisters also live here in this town?) [RHQ]” So they despised him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Jesus [knew that they refused to believe in him]. So he said to them, “[It is certainly true that] people honor [me and other] prophets [in other places, but] not in our hometowns! Even our relatives and the people who live in our own houses do not honor us!”
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed [them].
[So], although he healed a few sick people there by touching them, he [decided] not to perform many [other] miracles [in Nazareth] because the people there did not believe that he was the Messiah.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
He was amazed that they did not believe [in him]. Mark 6:6b-13 Jesus [and his disciples] went from town to town [in that region] teaching [the people].
7 And he called [unto him] the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
[One day] he summoned the twelve [disciples], and then he [told them that] he was going to send them out two-by-two [to teach people in various towns]. He gave them power [to expel] evil spirits [from people].
8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for [their] journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in [their] purse:
He also instructed them to wear sandals and to take along a walking stick when they were traveling. He told them not to take food, nor a bag [in which travelers carry supplies], nor any money for their journey. He also did not allow them to take extra clothing. [He wanted the people who heard their message to give them what they needed].
9 But [be] shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
He also instructed them, “After you enter a town, [if someone invites you to stay in his house], go into his house. Eat and sleep in that same home until you leave that town.
11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Wherever the people do not welcome you and wherever the people do not listen to you, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave [that place]. By doing that, you will warn them [that God will punish them for rejecting your message].”
12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
[So] after the disciples went out [to various towns], they were preaching that people should stop their sinful behavior.
13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed [them].
They were also expelling many evil spirits [from people], and they were anointing many sick people with [olive] oil and healing them.
14 And king Herod heard [of him]; (for his name was spread abroad: ) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
[King] Herod [Antipas] heard about [what] Jesus [was doing], because many people were talking [about it. Some] people were saying [about Jesus], “[He must be] John the Baptizer! He has come back to life! That is why he [has God’s] power to perform these miracles!”
15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
Others were saying [about Jesus], “He is [the former prophet] Elijah, [whom God promised to send back again].” Others were saying [about Jesus], “[No], he is a [different] prophet, like one of the [other] prophets [who lived long ago].”
16 But when Herod heard [thereof], he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
Having heard [what the people were saying, King] Herod [Antipas] himself repeatedly said, “The man [performing those miracles] must be John! I [commanded my soldiers to] cut off his head, but he has come back to life again [to get revenge for my killing him]!”
17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.
The reason [King Herod concluded that John wanted revenge is as follows: Some time before this], Herod married Herodias, while she was [still] the wife of his [younger] brother, Philip.
18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.
John kept telling Herod, “[God’s] law does not permit you to marry the wife of your brother [while he is still alive].” Then, because Herodias [urged him to put John in prison], Herod himself sent [soldiers to John]. They seized John and put him in prison.
19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
But because Herodias wanted to get [further] revenge on John, she wanted [someone] to execute him. But she could not do that because [while John was in prison], Herod kept John safe [from her].
20 For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
Herod did this because he respected/feared John, because he knew that he was a righteous and holy man. The king did not know what he should do, but he liked to listen to him.
21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief [estates] of Galilee;
But [Herodias was able to have someone execute John when they honored/celebrated] the day when Herod was born. On that day, he invited the [most important] government officials, the [most important] army leaders, and the most important men in Galilee [district] in order that they might eat [and celebrate with him].
22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give [it] thee.
[While they were eating], Herodias’ daughter came into the room and danced, and that pleased [King] Herod and his guests. So the king said to her, “Ask me for whatever you desire and I will give it to you!”
23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give [it] thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
He said to her, “Whatever you ask, I will give it to you! I will give you up to half of what I own and rule, if you ask for it. May God punish me [if I do not do what I have promised]!”
24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
The girl immediately left the room and went to her mother. She [told her what the king had said, and] asked her, “What shall I ask for?” Her mother replied, “[Ask the king to give you] the head of John the Baptizer!”
25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
The girl quickly entered the room again. She went to the king and she requested, “I want you to command someone to [cut off] the head of John the Baptizer [and] give it to me at once on a platter, [so that my mother can know he is dead]!”
26 And the king was exceeding sorry; [yet] for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
The king became very distressed [when he heard what she asked for], because he knew John was a very righteous man (OR, because he now knew that he should not have made that promise to her). But he could not refuse [what she requested because] he had promised [that he would give her anything she asked for], and because his guests [had heard him promise that].
27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
So the king at once ordered the man who executes prisoners to go and [cut off] John’s head and bring it [to the girl]. That man went to the prison and cut off John’s head.
28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
He [put it on] a platter, brought it back, and gave it to the girl. The girl took it to her mother.
29 And when his disciples heard [of it], they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
After John’s disciples heard [what happened], they went [to the prison] and took John’s body and then they buried [it in a burial cave].
30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
The [twelve] apostles returned to Jesus [from the places to which they had gone]. They reported to him what they had done and what they had taught [to people].
31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
He said to them, “Come [with me] to a place where no people are living, in order that we can be alone and rest a little while!” [He said this] because many people were continually coming to them and going [away again], with the result that [Jesus and] his disciples did not have time to eat [or do anything else].
32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
So they went away by themselves in a boat to a place where no people were living.
33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
[But many] people saw them leaving. They also recognized [that they were Jesus and the disciples, and they saw where they were going]. So they ran [ahead on land] from all the [nearby] towns to the place [where Jesus and his disciples were going]. They [actually] arrived there before [Jesus and the disciples].
34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
As Jesus [and his disciples] got out of the boat, Jesus saw this large crowd. He felt sorry for them because they were [confused], like sheep that do not have a shepherd. So he taught them many things.
35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time [is] far passed:
Late [in the afternoon], the disciples came to him and said, “This is a place where no people live and it is very late.
36 Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
[So] send the people away in order that they may go to the surrounding farms and villages in order that they can buy for themselves something to eat!”
37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
But he replied, “[No], you [yourselves] give them something to eat!” They replied, “(We could not buy enough bread to feed [this crowd], even if we had as much money as a man earns by working 200 days!/How could we buy enough bread to feed [this mob], even if we had as much money as a man earns by working 200 days?)” [RHQ]
38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
But he replied to them, “How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and find out!” They [went and] found out and then they told him, “We have [only] five flat loaves and two [cooked] fish!”
39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
He instructed [the disciples to tell] all the people to sit down on the green grass.
40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
So the people sat in groups. There were 50 people in some groups and 100 people in other groups.
41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave [them] to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Jesus took the five flat loaves and the two fish. He looked up towards heaven and thanked [God] for them. Then he broke the loaves and fish into pieces and kept giving them to the disciples in order that they would distribute them to the people.
42 And they did all eat, and were filled.
Everyone ate [this food] until they all had enough to eat!
43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
The disciples then collected twelve baskets full of pieces [of bread] and of the fish [that were left over].
44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
There were approximately 5,000 men who ate the bread [and fish. They did not even count the women and children].
45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
Right away Jesus told his disciples to get into the boat and then go ahead of him to Bethsaida [town, which was] further around [Lake Galilee. He stayed and] dismissed the many people who were there.
46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
After he said goodbye to the people, he went up into the hills in order to pray.
47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
When it was evening, the [disciples’] boat was in the middle of the lake and Jesus was by himself on the land.
48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
He saw that the wind was [blowing] against them as they rowed. As a result, they were having great difficulty. He approached them early in the morning, when it was still dark, by walking on the water. He intended to walk by them.
49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
They saw him walking on the water, but they thought that he was a ghost. They screamed
50 For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
because they all were terrified when they saw him. But he talked to them. He said to them, “Be calm! Do not be afraid, [because] it is I!”
51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
He got into the boat [and sat down] with them and the wind [immediately] blowing. They were completely amazed [about what he had done].
52 For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
[Although they had seen Jesus multiply] the [bread and the fish], they did not understand [from that how powerful he was, as they should have]. They did not think clearly about it.
53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
After they went further around [Lake Galilee in a boat, they came to the shore at Gennesaret town]. Then they tied up the boat there.
54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
As soon as they got out of the boat, [the people there] recognized Jesus.
55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
So they ran throughout the whole district [in order to tell others that Jesus was there]. Then the people [placed] those who were sick on stretchers and carried them to any place where they heard [people say] that Jesus was.
56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
In whatever village, town or other place where he entered, they would bring to the marketplaces those who were sick. Then the [sick people] would beg Jesus to let them touch [him or] even the edge of his clothes [in order that Jesus might heal them]. All those who touched [him or his robe] were healed.
