World English Bible · Under Rome
Mark 6
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He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his followed him. When the had come, he began to teach in the , and many hearing him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things?" and, "What is the that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands? Isn't this the carpenter, the son of and brother of , Joses, Judah, and ? Aren't his sisters here with us?" So they were offended at him. said to them, "A is not without , except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house." He could do no mighty work there, except that he on sick people and healed them. He marveled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching. He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them over the . He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a only: , no wallet, no money in their purse, but to wear , and not put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there. Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off that is under your feet for a against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for and in the day of than for that city!" They went out and preached that people should . They cast out many , and many with oil who were sick and healed them. King heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, " has from , and therefore these powers are at work in him." But others said, "He is ." Others said, "He is a , or like one of ." But , when he heard this, said, "This is , whom I beheaded. He has from ." For himself had sent out and arrested and bound him in prison for the sake of , his brother wife, for he had married her. For had said to , "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." set herself against him and to kill him, but she couldn't, for feared , knowing that he was a and man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly. Then a convenient day came when on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of . When the daughter of herself came in and danced, she pleased and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." He to her, "Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" She said, "The head of ." She came in immediately with haste to the king and requested, "I want you to give me right now the head of on a platter." The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his and of his dinner guests, he didn't wish to refuse her. Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard and commanded to bring head; and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother. When his heard this, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a . gathered themselves together to , and they told him all things, whatever they had done, and whatever they had taught. He said to them, "Come away into a deserted place, and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. They saw them going, and many recognized him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him. came out, saw a great multitude, and he had on them because they were like sheep without a ; and he began to teach them many things. When it was late in the day, his came to him and said, "This place is deserted, and it is late in the day. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat." But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They asked him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred worth of bread and give them something to eat?" He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go see." When they knew, they said, "Five, and two fish." He commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass. They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. He took the five loaves and the two fish; and looking up to , he and broke the loaves, and he gave to his to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and also of the fish. 44Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. Immediately he made his get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, to , while he himself sent away. After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to . When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them, but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them and said to them, "Cheer up! It is I! Don't be afraid." He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled; for they hadn't understood about the loaves, but their were hardened. When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him, and ran around that whole region, and began to bring those who were sick on their mats to where they heard he was. Wherever he entered—into villages, or into cities, or into the country—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well.
A public domain modern English translation, free to read and share. Notes and cards are EKLI’s own.
The world at this moment · Under Rome, 63 BC to AD 100 ›
Judea as a client kingdom and then a province. Roads, garrisons, taxes, crucifixion, and a common Greek language that let a message travel the empire faster than any before it.
- Rome
- The republic tears itself apart in civil war and comes out as an empire under Augustus. What follows is two centuries of relative peace across the whole Mediterranean, enforced by legions and paid for by taxes, with safe roads and safe sea lanes. Every one of Paul's journeys depends on that.
- Judea
- Governed first through Herod the Great, a client king of enormous ability and enormous brutality who rebuilds the temple into one of the wonders of the ancient world, then directly by Roman prefects. Crucifixion is the standard penalty for sedition and is used often and publicly.
- The wider world
- Greek is spoken from Spain to Syria, which means a letter written in Corinth can be read in Rome without translation. Jewish communities already exist in most major cities, which is where the first Christian preaching lands. Mystery religions, imperial cult, and philosophy all compete in the same marketplace.
- Further afield
- The Han dynasty rules China and trades silk westward along routes that touch the Roman world at second hand. In Britain the Roman conquest begins within a decade of the crucifixion.