Reader's Theatre: Mark 6: 30-34, 53-56

Here’s a reader’s theatre setting of Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, the suggested gospel reading for Proper 11 B (Ordinary 16 B)—the 8th Sunday after Pentecost.  It is set for two voices.

Reader’s Theatre
(Mark 6:30-34, 53-56, NLT)

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour
and told him all they had done and taught.

And Jesus said,
“Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.”

He said this because there were so many people coming and going
that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone. 

But many people recognized them and saw them leaving,
and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore
and got there ahead of them.

Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat,
and he had compassion on them
because they were like sheep without a shepherd.
So he began teaching them many things.

After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret.
They brought the boat to shore and climbed out.

The people recognized Jesus at once,
and they ran throughout the whole area,
carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was.

Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—
they brought the sick out to the marketplaces.
They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe,

and all who touched him were healed.