Mark 4-6

Contemporary English Version

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13.1-9; Luke 8.4-8)

4 ^(A) The next time Jesus taught beside Lake Galilee, a big crowd gathered. It was so large that he had to sit in a boat out on the lake, while the people stood on the shore. ² He used stories to teach them many things, and this is part of what he taught:

³ Now listen! A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. ⁴ While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds. ⁵ Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing because the soil wasn't very deep. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots. ⁷ Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked out the plants. So they did not produce any grain. ⁸ But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants grew and produced 30 or 60 or even 100 times as much as was scattered.

⁹ Then Jesus said, “If you have ears, pay attention.”

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Matthew 13.10-17; Luke 8.9,10)

¹⁰ When Jesus was alone with the twelve apostles and some others, they asked him about these stories. ¹¹ He answered:

I have explained the secret about God's kingdom to you, but for others I can use only stories. ^12 (B) The reason is,

Jesus Explains the Story about the Farmer

(Matthew 13.18-23; Luke 8.11-15)

¹³ Jesus then told them:

If you don't understand this story, you won't understand any others. ¹⁴ What the farmer is spreading is really the message about the kingdom. ¹⁵ The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But Satan soon comes and snatches it away from them. ¹⁶ The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. ¹⁷ But they don't have roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.

¹⁸ The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. ¹⁹ But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. ²⁰ The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and welcome the message. They produce 30 or 60 or even 100 times as much as was planted.

Light

(Luke 8.16-18)

^21 (C) Jesus also said:

You don't light a lamp and put it under a clay pot or under a bed. Don't you put a lamp on a lampstand? ^22 (D) There is nothing hidden that will not be made public. There is no secret that will not be well known. ²³ If you have ears, pay attention!

^24 (E) Listen carefully to what you hear! The way you treat others will be the way you will be treated—and even worse. ^25 (F) Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose what little they have.

Another Story about Seeds

²⁶ Again Jesus said:

God's kingdom is like what happens when a farmer scatters seed in a field. ²⁷ The farmer sleeps at night and is up and around during the day. Yet the seeds keep sprouting and growing, and he doesn't understand how. ²⁸ It is the ground that makes the seeds sprout and grow into plants that produce grain. ^29 (G) Then when harvest season comes and the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle.^[a]

A Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13.31,32; Luke 13.18,19)

³⁰ Finally, Jesus said:

What is God's kingdom like? What story can I use to explain it? ³¹ It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world. ³² But once it is planted, it grows larger than any garden plant. It even puts out branches that are big enough for birds to nest in its shade.

The Reason for Teaching with Stories

(Matthew 13.34,35)

³³ Jesus used many other stories when he spoke to the people, and he taught them as much as they could understand. ³⁴ He did not tell them anything without using stories. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

A Storm

(Matthew 8.23-27; Luke 8.22-25)

³⁵ That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let's cross to the east side.” ³⁶ So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. ³⁷ Suddenly a storm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.

³⁸ Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?”

³⁹ Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.

⁴⁰ Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don't you have any faith?”

⁴¹ Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

A Man with Evil Spirits

(Matthew 8.28-34; Luke 8.26-39)

5 Jesus and his disciples crossed Lake Galilee and came to shore near the town of Gerasa.^{[b] 2} When he was getting out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit quickly ran to him ³ from the graveyard^[c] where he had been living. No one was able to tie the man up anymore, not even with a chain. ⁴ He had often been put in chains and leg irons, but he broke the chains and smashed the leg irons. No one could control him. ⁵ Night and day he was in the graveyard or on the hills, yelling and cutting himself with stones.

⁶ When the man saw Jesus in the distance, he ran up to him and knelt down. ⁷ He shouted, “Jesus, Son of God in heaven, what do you want with me? Promise me in God's name that you won't torture me!” ⁸ The man said this because Jesus had already told the evil spirit to come out of him.

⁹ Jesus asked, “What is your name?”

The man answered, “My name is Lots, because I have ‘lots’ of evil spirits.” ¹⁰ He then begged Jesus not to send them away.

¹¹ Over on the hillside a large herd of pigs was feeding. ¹² So the evil spirits begged Jesus, “Send us into those pigs! Let us go into them.” ¹³ Jesus let them go, and they went out of the man and into the pigs. The whole herd of about 2,000 pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

¹⁴ The men taking care of the pigs ran to the town and the farms to spread the news. Then the people came out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had once been full of demons. He was sitting there with his clothes on and in his right mind, and they were terrified.

¹⁶ Everyone who had seen what had happened told about the man and the pigs. ¹⁷ Then the people started begging Jesus to leave their part of the country.

¹⁸ When Jesus was getting into the boat, the man begged to go with him. ¹⁹ But Jesus would not let him. Instead, he said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you and how good he has been to you.”

²⁰ The man went away into the region near the ten cities known as Decapolis^[d] and began telling everyone how much Jesus had done for him. Everyone who heard what had happened was amazed.

A Dying Girl and a Sick Woman

(Matthew 9.18-26; Luke 8.40-56)

²¹ Once again Jesus got into the boat and crossed Lake Galilee.^[e] Then as he stood on the shore, a large crowd gathered around him. ²² The person in charge of the synagogue was also there. His name was Jairus, and when he saw Jesus, he went over to him. He knelt at Jesus' feet ²³ and started begging him for help. He said, “My little daughter is about to die! Please come and touch her, so she will get well and live.” ²⁴ Jesus went with Jairus. Many people followed along and kept crowding around.

²⁵ In the crowd was a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years. ^26 (H) She had gone to many doctors, and they had not done anything except cause her a lot of pain. She had paid them all the money she had. But instead of getting better, she only got worse.

²⁷ The woman had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him in the crowd and barely touched his clothes. ²⁸ She had said to herself, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ As soon as she touched them, her bleeding stopped, and she knew she was healed.

³⁰ At that moment Jesus felt power go out from him. He turned to the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

³¹ His disciples said to him, “Look at all these people crowding around you! How can you ask who touched you?” ³² But Jesus turned to see who had touched him.

³³ The woman knew what had happened to her. So she came trembling with fear and knelt down in front of Jesus. Then she told him the whole story.

³⁴ Jesus said to the woman, “You are now well because of your faith. May God give you peace! You are healed, and you will no longer be in pain.”

³⁵ While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from Jairus' home and said, “Your daughter has died! Why bother the teacher anymore?”

³⁶ Jesus heard^[f] what they said, and he said to Jairus, “Don't worry. Just have faith!”

³⁷ Jesus did not let anyone go with him except Peter and the two brothers, James and John. ³⁸ They went home with Jairus and saw the people crying and making a lot of noise.^{[g] 39} Then Jesus went inside and said to them, “Why are you crying and carrying on like this? The child isn't dead. She is just asleep.” ⁴⁰ But the people laughed at him.

After Jesus had sent them all out of the house, he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples and went to where she was. ^41-42 He took the twelve-year-old girl by the hand and said, “Talitha, koum!”^[h] which means, “Little girl, get up!” The girl got right up and started walking around.

Everyone was greatly surprised. ⁴³ But Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. Then he said, “Give her something to eat.”

The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus

(Matthew 13.53-58; Luke 4.16-30)

6 Jesus left and returned to his hometown^[i] with his disciples. ² The next Sabbath he taught in the synagogue. Many of the people who heard him were amazed and asked, “How can he do all this? Where did he get such wisdom and the power to work these miracles? ³ Isn't he the carpenter,^[j] the son of Mary? Aren't James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon his brothers? Don't his sisters still live here in our town?” The people were upset because of what he was doing.

^4 (I) But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their relatives and their own family.” ⁵ Jesus could not work any miracles there, except to heal a few sick people by placing his hands on them. ⁶ He was surprised that the people did not have any faith.

Instructions for the Twelve Apostles

(Matthew 10.5-15; Luke 9.1-6)

Jesus taught in all the neighboring villages. ⁷ Then he called together his twelve apostles and sent them out two by two with power over evil spirits. ^8 (J) He told them, “You may take along a walking stick. But don't carry food or a traveling bag or any money. ⁹ It's all right to wear sandals, but don't take along a change of clothes. ¹⁰ When you are welcomed into a home, stay there until you leave that town. ^11 (K) If any place won't welcome you or listen to your message, leave and shake the dust from your feet^[k] as a warning to them.”

¹² The apostles left and started telling everyone to turn to God. ^13 (L) They forced out many demons and healed a lot of sick people by putting olive oil^[l] on them.

The Death of John the Baptist

(Matthew 14.1-12; Luke 9.7-9)

^14 (M) Jesus became so well-known that Herod the ruler^[m] heard about him. Some people thought he was John the Baptist, who had come back to life with the power to work miracles. ¹⁵ Others thought he was Elijah^[n] or some other prophet who had lived long ago. ¹⁶ But when Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “This must be John! I had his head cut off, and now he has come back to life.”

^17-18 (N) Herod had earlier married Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. But John had told him, “It isn't right for you to take your brother's wife!” So, in order to please Herodias, Herod arrested John and put him in prison.

¹⁹ Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she could not do it ²⁰ because Herod was afraid of John and protected him. He knew that John was a good and holy man. Even though Herod was confused by what John said,^[o] he was glad to listen to him. And he often did.

²¹ Finally, Herodias got her chance when Herod gave a great birthday celebration for himself and invited his officials, his army officers, and the leaders of Galilee. ²² The daughter of Herodias^[p] came in and danced for Herod and his guests. She pleased them so much that Herod said, “Ask for anything, and it's yours! ²³ I swear that I will give you as much as half of my kingdom, if you want it.”

²⁴ The girl left and asked her mother, “What do you think I should ask for?”

Her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist!”

²⁵ The girl hurried back and told Herod, “Here and now on a serving plate I want the head of John the Baptist!”

²⁶ Herod was very sorry for what he had said. But he did not want to break the promise he had made in front of his guests. ²⁷ At once he ordered a guard to cut off John's head there in prison. ²⁸ The guard put the head on a serving plate and took it to the girl. Then she gave it to her mother.

²⁹ When John's followers learned that he had been killed, they took his body and put it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

(Matthew 14.13-21; Luke 9.10-17; John 6.1-14)

³⁰ After the apostles returned to Jesus,^[q] they told him everything they had done and taught. ³¹ But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let's go to a place^[r] where we can be alone and get some rest.” ³² They left in a boat for a place where they could be alone. ³³ But many people saw them leave and figured out where they were going. So people from every town ran on ahead and got there first.

^34 (O) When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw the large crowd that was like sheep without a shepherd. He felt sorry for the people and started teaching them many things.

³⁵ That evening the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This place is like a desert, and it's already late. ³⁶ Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the farms and villages near here and buy something to eat.”

³⁷ Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.”

But they asked him, “Don't you know it would take almost a year's wages^[s] to buy all of these people something to eat?”

³⁸ Then Jesus said, “How much bread do you have? Go and see!”

They found out and answered, “We have five small loaves of bread^[t] and two fish.” ³⁹ Jesus told his disciples to tell the people to sit down on the green grass. ⁴⁰ They sat down in groups of 100 and groups of 50.

⁴¹ Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples to give to the people. He also divided the two fish, so everyone could have some.

⁴² After everyone had eaten all they wanted, ⁴³ Jesus' disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftover bread and fish.

⁴⁴ There were 5,000 men who ate the food.

Jesus Walks on the Water

(Matthew 14.22-33; John 6.15-21)

⁴⁵ At once, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and start back across to Bethsaida. But he stayed until he had sent the crowds away. ⁴⁶ Then he told them goodbye and went up on the side of a mountain to pray.

⁴⁷ Later in the evening he was still there by himself, and the boat was somewhere in the middle of the lake. ⁴⁸ He could see that the disciples were struggling hard, because they were rowing against the wind. Not long before morning, Jesus came toward them. He was walking on the water and was about to pass the boat.

⁴⁹ When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, they thought he was a ghost, and they started screaming. ⁵⁰ All of them saw him and were terrified. But at this same time he said, “Don't worry! I am Jesus. Don't be afraid.” ⁵¹ He then got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely confused. ⁵² Their minds were closed, and they could not understand the true meaning of the loaves of bread.

Jesus Heals Sick People in Gennesaret

(Matthew 14.34-36)

⁵³ Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake and brought the boat to shore near the town of Gennesaret. ⁵⁴ As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ So they ran all over that part of the country to bring their sick people to him on mats. They brought them each time they heard where he was. ⁵⁶ In every village or farm or marketplace where Jesus went, the people brought their sick to him. They begged him to let them just touch his clothes, and everyone who did was healed.