Mark 6
The Message (MSG)
Just a
Carpenter
6 1-2
He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came
along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real
hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did
he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?”
3 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s
just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his
brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he
is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And
they never got any further.
4-6 Jesus told them, “A prophet has
little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in
as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a
few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their
stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages,
teaching.
The
Twelve
7-8 Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in
pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He
sent them off with these instructions:
8-9 “Don’t think you need a lot of
extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for
funds. Keep it simple.
10 “And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content
there until you leave.
11 “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly
withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your
way.”
12-13 Then they were on the road. They preached with
joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent
the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies,
healing their spirits.
The Death of John
14 King Herod heard of all this,
for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips. He said, “This has to
be John the Baptizer come back from the dead—that’s why he’s able to work
miracles!”
15 Others said, “No, it’s Elijah.”Others said, “He’s a prophet, just like one of
the old-time prophets.”
16 But Herod wouldn’t budge: “It’s John, sure enough. I
cut off his head, and now he’s back, alive.”
17-20 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of
John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his
brother Philip’s wife. For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship
with Herodias “adultery.” Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him,
but didn’t dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy
man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable
with guilt—and yet he couldn’t stay away. Something in John kept pulling him
back.
21-22 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a
birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias’s
daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She dazzled Herod
and the guests.
22-23 The king said to the girl, “Ask me anything. I’ll
give you anything you want.” Carried away, he kept on, “I swear, I’ll split my
kingdom with you if you say so!”
24 She went back to her mother and said, “What should I
ask for?”Ask for the head of John the
Baptizer.”
25 Excited, she ran back to the king and said, “I want the
head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!
26-29 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose
face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. The king sent the
executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John’s head. He went,
cut off John’s head, brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl,
who gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and
got the body and gave it a decent burial.
Supper for Five
Thousand
30-31 The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and
reported on all that they had done and taught. Jesus said, “Come off by
yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant
coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat.
32-34 So they got in the boat and went off to a remote
place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the
surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them.
When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart
broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching
them.
35-36 When his disciples thought this had gone on long
enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out
in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks
off so they can get some supper.”
37 Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for
them.”They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to
go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”
38 But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do
you have? Take an inventory.”That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus
two fish.”
39-44 Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or
a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the
green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in
prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples
in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their
fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five
thousand were at the supper.
Walking on the
Sea
45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to
pray.
47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus
was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the
wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus
came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when
they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed,
scared out of their wits.
50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me.
Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They
were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t
understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their
hearts.
53-56 They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at
the landing. As soon as they got out of the boat, word got around fast. People
ran this way and that, bringing their sick on stretchers to where they heard he
was. Wherever he went, village or town or country crossroads, they brought their
sick to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his
coat—that’s all. And whoever touched him became well.
The Message (MSG)
Just a
Carpenter
6 1-2
He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came
along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real
hit, impressing everyone. “We had no idea he was this good!” they said. “How did
he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?”
3 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: “He’s
just a carpenter—Mary’s boy. We’ve known him since he was a kid. We know his
brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he
is?” They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And
they never got any further.
4-6 Jesus told them, “A prophet has
little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in
as a child.” Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a
few sick people and healed them, that’s all. He couldn’t get over their
stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages,
teaching.
The
Twelve
7-8 Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in
pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He
sent them off with these instructions:
8-9 “Don’t think you need a lot of
extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for
funds. Keep it simple.
10 “And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content
there until you leave.
11 “If you’re not welcomed, not listened to, quietly
withdraw. Don’t make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your
way.”
12-13 Then they were on the road. They preached with
joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent
the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies,
healing their spirits.
The Death of John
14 King Herod heard of all this,
for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone’s lips. He said, “This has to
be John the Baptizer come back from the dead—that’s why he’s able to work
miracles!”
15 Others said, “No, it’s Elijah.”Others said, “He’s a prophet, just like one of
the old-time prophets.”
16 But Herod wouldn’t budge: “It’s John, sure enough. I
cut off his head, and now he’s back, alive.”
17-20 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of
John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his
brother Philip’s wife. For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship
with Herodias “adultery.” Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him,
but didn’t dare because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy
man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable
with guilt—and yet he couldn’t stay away. Something in John kept pulling him
back.
21-22 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a
birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee. Herodias’s
daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She dazzled Herod
and the guests.
22-23 The king said to the girl, “Ask me anything. I’ll
give you anything you want.” Carried away, he kept on, “I swear, I’ll split my
kingdom with you if you say so!”
24 She went back to her mother and said, “What should I
ask for?”Ask for the head of John the
Baptizer.”
25 Excited, she ran back to the king and said, “I want the
head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!
26-29 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose
face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish. The king sent the
executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John’s head. He went,
cut off John’s head, brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl,
who gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and
got the body and gave it a decent burial.
Supper for Five
Thousand
30-31 The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and
reported on all that they had done and taught. Jesus said, “Come off by
yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant
coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat.
32-34 So they got in the boat and went off to a remote
place by themselves. Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the
surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them.
When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart
broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching
them.
35-36 When his disciples thought this had gone on long
enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out
in the country, and it’s very late. Pronounce a benediction and send these folks
off so they can get some supper.”
37 Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for
them.”They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to
go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”
38 But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do
you have? Take an inventory.”That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus
two fish.”
39-44 Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or
a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the
green grass! He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in
prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples
in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. They all ate their
fill. The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. More than five
thousand were at the supper.
Walking on the
Sea
45-46 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation. After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to
pray.
47-49 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus
was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the
wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus
came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when
they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed,
scared out of their wits.
50-52 Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me.
Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They
were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t
understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their
hearts.
53-56 They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at
the landing. As soon as they got out of the boat, word got around fast. People
ran this way and that, bringing their sick on stretchers to where they heard he
was. Wherever he went, village or town or country crossroads, they brought their
sick to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his
coat—that’s all. And whoever touched him became well.