Mark 6
6:1 He went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him.
6:2 When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things?" and, "What is the wisdom that is given to this man, that such mighty works come about by his hands?
6:3 Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" They were offended at him.
6:4 Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house."
6:5 He could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people, and healed them.
6:6 He marveled because of their unbelief. He went around the villages teaching.
6:7 He called to himself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
6:8 He commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse,
6:9 but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics.
6:10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there.
6:11 Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"
6:12 They went out and preached that people should repent.
6:13 They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.
6:14 King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, "John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him."
6:15 But others said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets."
6:16 But Herod, when he heard this, said, "This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead."
6:17 For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for he had married her.
6:18 For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
6:19 Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him, but she couldn't,
6:20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he heard him gladly.
6:21 Then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee.
6:22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."
6:23 He swore to her, "Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."
6:24 She went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" She said, "The head of John the Baptizer."
6:25 She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter."
6:26 The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he didn't wish to refuse her.
6:27 Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John's head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
6:28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.
6:29 When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
6:30 The apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and they told him all things, whatever they had done, and whatever they had taught.
6:31 He said to them, "You come apart into a deserted place, and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
6:32 They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
6:33 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.
6:34 Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.
6:35 When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him, and said, "This place is deserted, and it is late in the day.
6:36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages, and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat."
6:37 But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They asked him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give them something to eat?"
6:38 He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go see." When they knew, they said, "Five, and two fish."
6:39 He commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass.
6:40 They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.
6:41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves, and he gave to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all.
6:42 They all ate, and were filled.
6:43 They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and also of the fish.
6:44 Those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
6:45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away.
6:46 After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray.
6:47 When evening had come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
6:48 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,
6:49 but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;
6:50 for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them, and said to them, "Cheer up! It is I AM! Don't be afraid."
6:51 He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled;
6:52 for they hadn't understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
6:53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.
6:54 When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him,
6:55 and ran around that whole region, and began to bring those who were sick, on their mats, to where they heard he was.
6:56 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 just the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well.
II Corinthians 7
7:1 Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
7:2 Open your hearts to us. We wronged no one. We corrupted no one. We took advantage of no one.
7:3 I say this not to condemn you, for I have said before, that you are in our hearts to die together and live together.
7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you. Great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I overflow with joy in all our affliction.
7:5 For even when we had come into Macedonia, our flesh had no relief, but we were afflicted on every side. Fightings were outside. Fear was inside.
7:6 Nevertheless, he who comforts the lowly, God, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7:7 and not by his coming only, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, while he told us of your longing, your mourning, and your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced still more.
7:8 For though I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it, though I did regret it. For I see that my letter made you sorry, though just for a while.
7:9 I now rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that you were made sorry to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly way, that you might suffer loss by us in nothing.
7:10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world works death.
7:11 For behold, this same thing, that you were made sorry in a godly way, what earnest care it worked in you. Yes, what defense, indignation, fear, longing, zeal, and vengeance! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in the matter.
7:12 So although I wrote to you, I wrote not for his cause that did the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that your earnest care for us might be revealed in you in the sight of God.
7:13 Therefore we have been comforted. In our comfort we rejoiced the more exceedingly for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.
7:14 For if in anything I have boasted to him on your behalf, I was not disappointed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, so our glorying also which I made before Titus was found to be truth.
7:15 His affection is more abundantly toward you, while he remembers all of your obedience, how with fear and trembling you received him.
7:16 I rejoice that in everything I am of good courage concerning you.
II Corinthians 8
8:1 Moreover, brothers, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the assemblies of Macedonia;
8:2 how that in much proof of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality.
8:3 For according to their power, I testify, yes and beyond their power, they gave of their own accord,
8:4 begging us with much entreaty to receive this grace and the fellowship in the service to the saints.
8:5 This was not as we had hoped, but first they gave their own selves to the Lord, and to us through the will of God.
8:6 So we urged Titus, that as he made a beginning before, so he would also complete in you this grace.
8:7 But as you abound in everything, in faith, utterance, knowledge, all earnestness, and in your love to us, see that you also abound in this grace.
8:8 I speak not by way of commandment, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity also of your love.
8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might become rich.
8:10 I give a judgment in this: for this is expedient for you, who were the first to start a year ago, not only to do, but also to be willing.
8:11 But now complete the doing also, that as there was the readiness to be willing, so there may be the completion also out of your ability.
8:12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don't have.
8:13 For this is not that others may be eased and you distressed,
8:14 but for equality. Your abundance at this present time supplies their lack, that their abundance also may become a supply for your lack; that there may be equality.
8:15 As it is written, "He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack."
8:16 But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
8:17 For he indeed accepted our exhortation, but being himself very earnest, he went out to you of his own accord.
8:18 We have sent together with him the brother whose praise in the Good News is known through all the assemblies.
8:19 Not only so, but who was also appointed by the assemblies to travel with us in this grace, which is served by us to the glory of the Lord himself, and to show our readiness.
8:20 We are avoiding this, that any man should blame us concerning this abundance which is administered by us.
8:21 Having regard for honorable things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.
8:22 We have sent with them our brother, whom we have many times proved earnest in many things, but now much more earnest, by reason of the great confidence which he has in you.
8:23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for you. As for our brothers, they are the apostles of the assemblies, the glory of Christ.
8:24 Therefore show the proof of your love to them in front of the assemblies, and of our boasting on your behalf.
