Mark 6:6-29

6And He wondered at their unbelief.

1And He was going around the villages teaching.

72And 3He summoned the twelve and began to send them out 4in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 85and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff--no bread, no 6bag, no money in their belt-- 9but 7to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two 8tunics.” 10And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you 9leave town. 11Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, 10shake the dust 11off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 1212They went out and 13preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and 14were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

1415And King Herod heard of it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “16John 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 17Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is 18a 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 19Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “20It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 1921Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death and could not do so; 20for 22Herod 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; 23but he 24used to enjoy listening to him. 21A strategic day came when Herod on his birthday 25gave a banquet for his lords and 26military commanders and the leading men 27of Galilee; 22and when the daughter of 28Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and 29his 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 30half 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 31his 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.