Mark 5-8

1On the other side of the sea, they arrived in the region of the Gerasenes.

2As soon as Jesus got out of the boat, He was met by a man with an unclean spirit, who was coming from the tombs.

3This man had been living in the tombs and could no longer be restrained, even with chains.

4Though he was often bound with chains and shackles, he had broken the chains and shattered the shackles. Now there was no one with the strength to subdue him.

5Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones.

6When the man saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees before Him.

7And he shouted in a loud voice, “What do You want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You before God not to torture me!”

8For Jesus had already declared, “Come out of this man, you unclean spirit!”

9“What is your name?” Jesus asked. “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

10And he begged Jesus repeatedly not to send them out of that region.

11There on the nearby hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding.

12So the demons begged Jesus, “Send us to the pigs, so that we may enter them.”

13He gave them permission, and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs, and the herd of about two thousand rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the water.

14Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.

15When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.

16Those who had seen it described what had happened to the demon-possessed man and also to the pigs.

17And the people began to beg Jesus to leave their region.

18As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed by the demons begged to go with Him.

19But Jesus would not allow him. “Go home to your own people,” He said, “and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and what mercy He has shown you.”

20So the man went away and began to proclaim throughout the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And everyone was amazed.

21When Jesus had again crossed by boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him beside the sea.

22A synagogue leader named Jairus arrived, and seeing Jesus, he fell at His feet

23and pleaded with Him urgently, “My little daughter is near death. Please come and place Your hands on her, so that she will be healed and live.”

24So Jesus went with him, and a large crowd followed and pressed around Him.

25And a woman was there who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years.

26She had borne much agony under the care of many physicians and had spent all she had, but to no avail. Instead, her condition had only grown worse.

27When the woman heard about Jesus, she came up through the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.

28For she kept saying, “If only I touch His garments, I will be healed.”

29Immediately her bleeding stopped, and she sensed in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

30At once Jesus was aware that power had gone out from Him. Turning to the crowd, He asked, “Who touched My garments?”

31His disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’”

32But He kept looking around to see who had done this.

33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him trembling in fear, and she told Him the whole truth.

34“Daughter,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be free of your affliction.”

35While He was still speaking, messengers from the house of Jairus arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; why bother the Teacher anymore?”

36But Jesus overheard their conversation and said to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just believe.”

37And He did not allow anyone to accompany Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.

38When they arrived at the house of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw the commotion and the people weeping and wailing loudly.

39He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead, but asleep.”

40And they laughed at Him. After He had put them all outside, He took the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and went in to see the child.

41Taking her by the hand, Jesus said, “Talitha koum!” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”

42Immediately the girl got up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). And at once they were utterly astounded.

43Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat.

1Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples.

2When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles?

3Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.

4Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

5So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them.

6And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.

7Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.

8He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—

9and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic.

10And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.

11If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.”

12So they set out and preached that the people should repent.

13They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.

14Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

15Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”

17For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.

18For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”

19So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,

20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.

21On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

22When the daughter of Herodias came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

23And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”

24Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”

25At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”

26The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.

27So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison.

28The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.

29When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.

30Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught.

31And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place.

33But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them.

34When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

35By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late.

36Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?”

38“Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass.

40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.

42They all ate and were satisfied,

43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

44And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.

45Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.

46After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.

47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land.

48He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,

49but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost—

50for they all saw Him and were terrified. But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

51Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,

52for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.

53When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat.

54As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus

55and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.

56And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.

1Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus,

2and they saw some of His disciples eating with hands that were defiled—that is, unwashed.

3Now in holding to the tradition of the elders, the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat until they wash their hands ceremonially.

4And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.

5So the Pharisees and scribes questioned Jesus: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eat with defiled hands.”

6Jesus answered them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

7They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’

8You have disregarded the commandment of God to keep the tradition of men.”

9He went on to say, “You neatly set aside the command of God to maintain your own tradition.

10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’

11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever you would have received from me is Corban’ (that is, a gift devoted to God),

12he is no longer permitted to do anything for his father or mother.

13Thus you nullify the word of God by the tradition you have handed down. And you do so in many such matters.”

14Once again Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, “All of you, listen to Me and understand:

15Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.”

17After Jesus had left the crowd and gone into the house, His disciples inquired about the parable.

18“Are you still so dull?” He asked. “Do you not understand? Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him,

19because it does not enter his heart, but it goes into the stomach and then is eliminated.” (Thus all foods are clean.)

20He continued: “What comes out of a man, that is what defiles him.

21For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,

22greed, wickedness, deceit, debauchery, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness.

23All these evils come from within, and these are what defile a man.”

24Jesus left that place and went to the region of Tyre. Not wanting anyone to know He was there, He entered a house, but was unable to escape their notice.

25Instead, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit soon heard about Jesus, and she came and fell at His feet.

26Now she was a Greek woman of Syrophoenician origin, and she kept asking Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.

27“First let the children have their fill,” He said. “For it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”

28“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

29Then Jesus told her, “Because of this answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter.”

30And she went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.

31Then Jesus left the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.

32Some people brought to Him a man who was deaf and hardly able to speak, and they begged Jesus to place His hand on him.

33So Jesus took him aside privately, away from the crowd, and put His fingers into the man’s ears. Then He spit and touched the man’s tongue.

34And looking up to heaven, He sighed deeply and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (which means, “Be opened!”).

35Immediately the man’s ears were opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak plainly.

36Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more He ordered them, the more widely they proclaimed it.

37The people were utterly astonished and said, “He has done all things well! He makes even the deaf hear and the mute speak!”

1In those days the crowd once again became very large, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called the disciples to Him and said,

2“I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.

3If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.”

4His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”

5“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.

6And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd.

7They also had a few small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set before them as well.

8The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

9And about four thousand men were present. And when Jesus had dismissed the crowd,

10He immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

11Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.

12Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

13And He left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side.

14Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.

15“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

16So they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.

17Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?

18‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember?

19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.

20“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Seven,” they said.

21Then He asked them, “Do you still not understand?”

22When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

23So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked.

24The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.”

25Once again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and when he opened them his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly.

26Jesus sent him home and said, “Do not go back into the village.”

27Then Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say I am?”

28They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”

29“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

30And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.

31Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again.

32He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”

34Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.

36What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

38If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”