Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech: Mark | Page 7

might repent. 006:013 Many demons they expelled, and many invalids they anointed with oil and cured. 006:014 King Herod heard of all this (for the name of Jesus had become widely known), and he kept saying, "John the Baptizer has come back to life, and that is why these miraculous Powers are working in him." 006:015 Others asserted that He was Elijah. Others again said, "He is a Prophet, like one of the great Prophets." 006:016 But when Herod heard of Him, he said, "The John, whom I beheaded, has come back to life." 006:017 For Herod himself had sent and had had John arrested and had kept him in prison in chains, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her. 006:018 For John had repeatedly told Herod, "You have no right to be living with your brother's wife." 006:019 Therefore Herodias hated him and wished to take his life, but could not; 006:020 for Herod stood in awe of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and he protected him. After listening to him he was in great perplexity, and yet he found a pleasure in listening. 006:021 At length Herodias found her opportunity. Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to the nobles of his court and to the tribunes and the principal people in Galilee, 006:022 at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, "Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you." 006:023 He even swore to her, "Whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom." 006:024 She at once went out and said to her mother: "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptizer," she replied. 006:025 The girl immediately came in, in haste, to the King and made her request. "My desire is," she said, "that you will give me, here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist." 006:026 Then the King, though intensely sorry, yet for the sake of his oaths, and of his guests, would not break faith with her. 006:027 He at once sent a soldier of his guard with orders to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in the prison, 006:028 and brought his head on a dish and gave it to the young girl, who gave it to her mother. 006:029 When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb. 006:030 When the Apostles had re-assembled round Jesus, they reported to Him all they had done and all they had taught. 006:031 Then He said to them, "Come away, all of you, to a quiet place, and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going, so that they had no time even for meals. 006:032 Accordingly they sailed away in the boat to a solitary place apart. 006:033 But the people saw them going, and many knew them; and coming by land they ran together there from all the neighbouring towns, and arrived before them. 006:034 So when Jesus landed, He saw a vast multitude; and His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep which have no shepherd, and He proceeded to teach them many things. 006:035 By this time it was late; so His disciples came to Him, and said, "This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late: 006:036 send them away that they may go to the farms and villages near here and buy themselves something to eat." 006:037 "Give them food yourselves," He replied. "Are we," they asked, "to go and buy two hundred shillings' worth of bread and give them food?" 006:038 "How many loaves have you?" He inquired; "go and see." So they found out, and said, "Five; and a couple of fish." 006:039 So He directed them to make all sit down in companies on the green grass. 006:040 And they sat down in rows of hundreds and of fifties. 006:041 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and lifting His eyes to Heaven He blessed the food. Then He broke the loaves into portions which He went on handing to the disciples to distribute; giving pieces also of the two fish to them all. 006:042 All ate and were fully satisfied. 006:043 And they carried away broken portions enough to fill twelve baskets, besides pieces of the fish. 006:044 Those who ate the bread were 5,000 adult men. 006:045 Immediately afterwards He made His disciples go on board the boat and cross over to Bethsaida, leaving Him behind to dismiss the crowd. 006:046 He then bade the people