Mark 6:1–29

Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth

6Jesus left that place and went back to his home town, followed by his disciples. ²On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue. Many people were there; and when they heard him, they were all amazed. “Where did he get all this?” they asked. “What wisdom is this that has been given him? How does he perform miracles? ³Isn’t he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters living here?” And so they rejected him.

^4*Jesus said to them, “Prophets are respected everywhere except in their own home town and by their relatives and their family.”

⁵He was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶He was greatly surprised, because the people did not have faith.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples

Then Jesus went to the villages round there, teaching the people. ⁷He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits ^8*and ordered them, “Don’t take anything with you on your journey except a stick—no bread, no beggar’s bag, no money in your pockets. ^9*Wear sandals, but don’t carry an extra shirt.” ^10*He also said, “Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place. ^11*If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!”

¹²So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins. ^13*They drove out many demons, and rubbed olive oil on many sick people and healed them.

The Death of John the Baptist

^14*Now King Herod^h heard about all this, because Jesus’ reputation had spread everywhere. Some people were saying, “John the Baptist has come back to life! That is why he has this power to perform miracles.”

^15*Others, however, said, “He is Elijah.”

Others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”

¹⁶When Herod heard it, he said, “He is John the Baptist! I had his head cut off, but he has come back to life!” ^17*Herod himself had ordered John’s arrest, and he had him chained and put in prison. Herod did this because of Herodias, whom he had married, even though she was the wife of his brother Philip. ^18*John the Baptist kept telling Herod, “It isn’t right for you to be married to your brother’s wife!”

¹⁹So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she could not because of Herod. ²⁰Herod was afraid of John because he knew that John was a good and holy man, and so he kept him safe. He liked to listen to him, even though he became greatly disturbed every time he heard him.

²¹Finally Herodias got her chance. It was on Herod’s birthday, when he gave a feast for all the chief government officials, the military commanders, and the leading citizens of Galilee. ²²The daughter of Herodiasⁱ came in and danced, and pleased Herod and his guests. So the king said to the girl, “What would you like to have? I will give you anything you want.” ²³With many vows he said to her, “I swear that I will give you anything you ask for, even as much as half my kingdom!”

²⁴So the girl went out and asked her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵The girl hurried back at once to the king and demanded, “I want you to give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a dish!”

²⁶This made the king very sad, but he could not refuse her because of the vows he had made in front of all his guests. ²⁷So he sent off a guard at once with orders to bring John’s head. The guard left, went to the prison, and cut John’s head off; ²⁸then he brought it on a dish and gave it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. ²⁹When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body, and buried it.