Mark 6:1–29

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

6^bHe went away from there and came to ^chis hometown, and his disciples followed him. ²And ^don the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and ^emany who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? ^3fIs not this ^gthe carpenter,¹ the son of Mary and ^hbrother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And ⁱthey took offense at him. ⁴And Jesus said to them, ^j“A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵And ^khe could do no mighty work there, except that ^lhe laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶And ^mhe marveled because of their unbelief.

ⁿAnd he went about among the villages teaching.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

^7oAnd he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— ⁹but to ^pwear sandals and not put on two tunics.^{2 10}And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. ¹¹And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, ^qshake off the dust that is on your feet ^ras a testimony against them.” ^12sSo they went out and ^tproclaimed ^uthat people should repent. ^13tAnd they cast out many demons and ^vanointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

The Death of John the Baptist

^14wKing Herod heard of it, for Jesus’³ name had become known. Some⁴ said, ^x“John the Baptist⁵ has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ^15xBut others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is ^ya prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” ^17zFor it was Herod who had sent and seized John and ^abound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. ^18zFor John had been saying to Herod, ^b“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, ²⁰for Herod ^cfeared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he ^dheard him gladly.

²¹But an opportunity came when Herod ^eon his birthday ^fgave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²²For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” ²³And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, ^gup to half of my kingdom.” ²⁴And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. ²⁷And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s⁶ head. He went and beheaded him in the prison ²⁸and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹When his ^hdisciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.