Mark 6:1-30

11Jesus went out from there and came into 23His hometown; and His disciples followed Him. 2When the Sabbath came, He began 4to teach in the synagogue; and the 5many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such 6miracles as these performed by His hands? 3Is not this 7the carpenter, 8the son of Mary, and brother of 9James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not 10His sisters here with us?” And they took 11offense at Him. 4Jesus said to them, “12A prophet is not without honor except in 1314his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” 5And He could do no 15miracle there except that He 16laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6And He wondered at their unbelief.

17And He was going around the villages teaching.

718And 19He summoned the twelve and began to send them out 20in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 821and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff--no bread, no 22bag, no money in their belt-- 9but 23to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two 24tunics.” 10And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you 25leave town. 11Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, 26shake the dust 27off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 1228They went out and 29preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and 30were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

1431And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “32John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” 15But others were saying, “He is 33Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is 34a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16But when Herod heard of it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

17For Herod himself had sent and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of 35Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “36It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 1937Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; 20for 38Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; 39but he 40used to enjoy listening to him. 21A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday 41gave a banquet for his lords and 42military commanders and the leading men 43of Galilee; 22and when the daughter of 44Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and 45his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you; up to 46half of my kingdom.” 24And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26And although the king was very sorry, yet because of his oaths and because of 47his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and had him beheaded 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 disciples heard about this, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

3048The 49apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught.