Thematic Bible




Mark 6:1 (show verse)

Jesus left that place and went back to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

Mark 6:2 (show verse)

When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were utterly amazed. "Where did this man get all these things?" they asked. "What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What great miracles are being done by his hands!

Mark 6:3 (show verse)

This is the builder, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon, isn't it? His sisters are here with us, aren't they?" And they were offended by him.

Mark 6:4 (show verse)

Jesus had been telling them, "A prophet is without honor only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own home."

Mark 6:5 (show verse)

He couldn't perform a miracle there except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

Mark 6:6 (show verse)

He was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went around to the villages and continued teaching.

Mark 6:7 (show verse)

He called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.

Mark 6:8 (show verse)

He instructed them to take nothing along on the trip except a walking stick no bread, no traveling bag, nothing in their moneybag.

Mark 6:9 (show verse)

They could wear sandals but not take along an extra shirt.

Mark 6:10 (show verse)

He told them repeatedly, "Whenever you go into a home, stay there until you leave that place.

Mark 6:11 (show verse)

If any place will not welcome you and the people refuse to listen to you, when you leave, shake its dust off your feet as a testimony against them."

Mark 6:12 (show verse)

So they went and preached that people should repent.

Mark 6:13 (show verse)

They also kept driving out many demons and anointing with oil many who were sick, and healing them.

Mark 6:14 (show verse)

King Herod heard about this, because Jesus' name had become well-known. He was saying, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead! That's why he is able to do these miracles."

Mark 6:15 (show verse)

Others were saying, "He is Elijah." Still others were saying, "He is a prophet like one of the other prophets."

Mark 6:16 (show verse)

But when Herod heard about it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised,"

Mark 6:17 (show verse)

because Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom Herod had married.

Mark 6:18 (show verse)

John had been telling Herod, "It's not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

Mark 6:19 (show verse)

So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she couldn't do it

Mark 6:20 (show verse)

because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that John was a righteous and holy man, and so he protected him. Whenever he listened to John, he did much of what he said. In fact, he liked listening to him.

Mark 6:21 (show verse)

An opportunity came during Herod's birthday celebration, when he gave a banquet for his top officials, military officers, and the most important people of Galilee.

Mark 6:22 (show verse)

When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. So the king told the girl, "Ask me for anything you want, and I'll give it to you."

Mark 6:23 (show verse)

He swore with an oath to her, "I'll give you anything you ask for, up to half of my kingdom."

Mark 6:24 (show verse)

So she went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask for?" Her mother replied, "The head of John the Baptist."

Mark 6:25 (show verse)

Immediately the girl hurried back to the king with her request, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter."

Mark 6:26 (show verse)

The king was deeply saddened, yet because of his oaths and his guests he was reluctant to refuse her.

Mark 6:27 (show verse)

So without delay the king sent a soldier and ordered him to bring John's head. The soldier went and beheaded him in prison.

Mark 6:28 (show verse)

Then he brought John's head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

Mark 6:29 (show verse)

When John's disciples heard about this, they came and carried off his body and laid it in a tomb.

Mark 6:30 (show verse)

The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.

Mark 6:31 (show verse)

He told them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest for a while," because so many people were coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat.

Mark 6:32 (show verse)

So they went away in a boat to a deserted place by themselves.

Mark 6:33 (show verse)

But when many people saw them leave and recognized them, they hurried on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.

Mark 6:34 (show verse)

When he got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

Mark 6:35 (show verse)

When it was quite late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and it's already late.

Mark 6:36 (show verse)

Send the crowds away so that they can go to the neighboring farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat."

Mark 6:37 (show verse)

But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They asked him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?"

Mark 6:38 (show verse)

He asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and see." They found out and told him, "Five loaves and two fish."

Mark 6:39 (show verse)

Then he ordered them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

Mark 6:40 (show verse)

So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Mark 6:41 (show verse)

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

Mark 6:42 (show verse)

All of them ate and were filled.

Mark 6:43 (show verse)

Then the disciples picked up twelve baskets full of leftover bread and fish.

Mark 6:44 (show verse)

There were 5,000 men who had eaten the loaves.

Mark 6:45 (show verse)

Jesus immediately had his disciples get into a boat and cross to Bethsaida ahead of him, while he sent the crowd away.

Mark 6:46 (show verse)

After saying goodbye to them, he went up on a hillside to pray.

Mark 6:47 (show verse)

When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, while he was alone on the land.

Mark 6:48 (show verse)

He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he came to them, walking on the sea. He intended to go up right beside them,

Mark 6:49 (show verse)

but when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and began to scream.

Mark 6:50 (show verse)

All of them saw him and were terrified. Immediately he told them, "Have courage! It's me. Stop being afraid!"

Mark 6:51 (show verse)

Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped blowing. The disciples were utterly astounded,

Mark 6:52 (show verse)

because they didn't understand the significance of the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.

Mark 6:53 (show verse)

When they had crossed over, they came ashore at Gennesaret and anchored the boat.

Mark 6:54 (show verse)

As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus.

Mark 6:55 (show verse)

They ran all over the countryside and began carrying the sick on their mats to any place where they heard he was.

Mark 6:56 (show verse)

Wherever he went, whether into villages, towns, or farms, people would place their sick in the marketplaces and beg him to let them touch even the tassel of his garment, and everyone who touched it was healed.