Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

6 ^bHe went away from there and came to ^chis hometown, and his disciples followedhim. 2 And ^don the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and ^emany whoheard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is thewisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 ^fIs not this ^gthecarpenter, the son of Mary and ^hbrother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Andare not his sisters here with us?” And ⁱthey took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them,^j“A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and inhis own household.” 5 And ^khe could do no mighty work there, except that ^lhe laid hishands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And ^mhe marveled because of theirunbelief.

ⁿAnd he went about among the villages teaching.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

7 ^oAnd he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave themauthority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journeyexcept a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to ^pwear sandals and notput on two tunics.¹ 10 And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there untilyou depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen toyou, when you leave, ^qshake off the dust that is on your feet ^ras a testimony againstthem.” 12 ^sSo they went out and ^tproclaimed ^uthat people should repent. 13 ^tAnd they castout many demons and ^vanointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

The Death of John the Baptist

14 ^wKing Herod heard of it, for Jesus’² name had become known. Some³ said, ^x“Johnthe Baptist⁴ has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are atwork in him.” 15 ^xBut others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is ^ya prophet, likeone of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom Ibeheaded, has been raised.” 17 ^zFor it was Herod who had sent and seized John and^abound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he hadmarried her. 18 ^zFor John had been saying to Herod, ^b“It is not lawful for you to have yourbrother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death.But she could not, 20 for Herod ^cfeared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holyman, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he^dheard him gladly.

21 But an opportunity came when Herod ^eon his birthday ^fgave a banquet for his noblesand military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughtercame in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Askme for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever youask me, I will give you, ^gup to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to hermother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And shecame in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me atonce the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And the king was exceedingly sorry, butbecause of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 Andimmediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s⁵ head. He went andbeheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, andthe girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his ^hdisciples heard of it, they came and took hisbody and laid it in a tomb.