Mark 5–6

A Demon-possessed Gerasene Healed

5And they came to the other side of the sea,^a to the region of the Gerasenes.^{b 2}And as^* he was getting out of the boat, immediately from the tombs a man with an unclean spirit went to meet him, ³who lived^c among the tombs. And no one was able to bind him any longer, not even with a chain, ⁴because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him, and the shackles had been shattered. And no one was strong enough to subdue him. ⁵And during every night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was crying out and cutting himself with stones. ⁶And when he^* saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and knelt down before him. ⁷And crying out with a loud voice he said, “What have I to do with you^d, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore you by God, do not torment me!” ⁸(For he was saying to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!”) ⁹And he was asking him “What is your name?”^e And he said to him, “My name is Legion, because we are many.” ¹⁰And he was imploring him many times that he would not send them out of the region. ¹¹Now a large herd of pigs was there at the hill feeding, ¹²and they implored him, saying, “Send us to the pigs so that we may enter into them.” ¹³And he permitted them. And the unclean spirits came out and^* entered into the pigs, and the herd—about two thousand—rushed headlong down the steep slope into the sea and were drowned in the sea. ¹⁴And their herdsmen fled and reported it^* in the town and in the countryside, and they came to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man sitting there clothed and in his right mind—the one who had had the legion—and they were afraid. ¹⁶And those who had seen it^* described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man, and about the pigs. ¹⁷And they began to urge him to depart from their region. ¹⁸And as^* he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed began to implore^f him that he could go with him. ¹⁹And he did not permit him, but said to him, “Go to your home to your people and tell them all that the Lord has done for you, and that he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him, and they were all astonished.

A Woman Healed and a Daughter Raised

²¹And after^* Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered to him, and he was beside the sea. ²²And one of the rulers of the synagogue came—Jairus by name—and when he^* saw him, he fell down at his feet. ²³And he was imploring him many times, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death!^g Come, lay your^h hands on her, so that she will get well and will live.” ²⁴And he went with him, and a large crowd was following him and pressing around him.

²⁵And there was a woman who was suffering from hemorrhagesⁱ twelve years. ²⁶And she had endured many things under many physicians, and had spent all that she had^j and had received no help at all, but instead became worse.^{k 27}When she^* heard about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind him and^* touched his cloak, ²⁸for she was saying, “If I touch just his clothing, I will be healed!” ²⁹And immediately her hemorrhage stopped^l and she realized in her^m body that she was healed of herⁿ suffering. ³⁰And immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from himself, turned around in the crowd and^* said, “Who touched my clothing?” ³¹And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing upon you, and you say ‘Who touched me?’ ” ³²And he was looking around to see the one who had done this. ³³So the woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴But he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be well from your suffering.”

³⁵While^* he was still speaking, they came from the synagogue ruler’s house^* saying, “Your daughter has died. Why trouble the Teacher further?” ³⁶But Jesus, ignoring^o what was said,^p told the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not be afraid—only believe!” ³⁷And he did not allow anyone to follow along with him except Peter and James and John, the brother of James. ³⁸And they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue and saw a commotion, and people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹And when he^* entered, he said to them, “Why are you agitated and weeping? The child is not dead, but is sleeping.” ⁴⁰And they began laughing^q at him. But he sent them all out and^* took along the father and mother of the child, and those who were with him, and went in to where the child was. ⁴¹And taking hold of the child’s hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”), ⁴²and immediately the girl stood up and began walking around^r (for she was twelve years old). And immediately they were utterly and completely astonished.^{s 43}And he commanded them strictly that no one should learn of this, and said to give her something^* to eat.

Rejected at Nazareth

6And he went out from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ²And when^* the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him^* were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things? And what is this wisdom that has been granted to this man, and the miracles such as these performed through his hands? ³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they were offended by him. ⁴And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own household.” ⁵And he was not able to do any miracle in that place except to lay his^a hands on a few sick people and^* heal them.^{* 6}And he was astonished because of their unbelief.

The Twelve Commissioned and Sent Out

And he was going around among the villages teaching. ⁷And he summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. ⁸And he commanded them that they take along nothing for the journey except only a staff—no bread, no traveler’s bag, no money in their^b belts—⁹but to put on sandals and not to wear two tunics. ¹⁰And he said to them, “Whenever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. ¹¹And whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, as you^* go out from there, shake off the dust that is on your feet for a testimony against them.” ¹²And they went out and^* proclaimed that people^* should repent. ¹³And they were expelling many demons and anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them.^*

Herod Kills John the Baptist

¹⁴And King Herod heard it,^* because his name had become known. And they were saying, “John, the one who baptizes, has been raised from the dead, and because of this these miraculous powers are at work in him.” ¹⁵But others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and others were saying, “He is a prophet like one of the prophets.” ¹⁶But when^* Herod heard it,^* he said, “John whom I beheaded—this one has been raised!” ¹⁷For Herod himself had sent and^* arrested John and bound him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. ¹⁸For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not permitted for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹So Herodias held a grudge against him and was wanting to kill him, and was not able to do so. ²⁰For Herod was afraid of John, because he^* knew him to be a righteous and holy man and protected him. And when he^* listened to him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he listened to him gladly. ²¹And a suitable day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers and military tribunes and the most prominent men of Galilee. ²²And when^c the daughter of Herodias herself^d came in and danced and pleased^e Herod and his dinner guests,^f the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it^* to you.” ²³And he swore to her,^g “Anything whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom!” ²⁴And she went out and^* said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the baptizer.” ²⁵And she came in immediately with haste to the king and^* asked, saying, “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” ²⁶And although he^* was deeply grieved, the king, because of his^h oaths and dinner guests,ⁱ did not want to refuse her. ²⁷And immediately the king sent an executioner and^* ordered him^* to bring his head. And he went and^* beheaded him in the prison. ²⁸And he brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹And when^* his disciples heard this,^* they came and took away his corpse and placed it in a tomb.

The Feeding of Five Thousand

³⁰And the apostles regathered to Jesus and reported to him everything that they had done and that they had taught. ³¹And he said to them, “You yourselves come privately to an isolated place and rest for a short time.” For those who were coming and going were many, and they did not even have time to eat. ³²And they went away in the boat to an isolated place by themselves. ³³And many people saw them leaving and recognized them,^* and ran there together by land from all the towns, and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴And getting out of the boat^* he saw the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without^j a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. ³⁵And the hour had already become late when^* his disciples came up to him, saying, “The place is desolate and the hour is already late. ³⁶Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding farms and villages and^* purchase something to eat for themselves.” ³⁷But he answered and^* said to them, “You give them something^* to eat.” And they said to him,…