Mark 6:53-56

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there.

⁵⁴ And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,

⁵⁵ ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was.

⁵⁶ Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well.

Also found in Matthew 14:34-36.

Gennesaret is a fertile, populous plain on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee south of Capernaum and north of Tiberias.

anchored (v.53) — This was almost certainly the larger fishing boat (Jesus went “up into” it in v.51), so it was anchored off shore.

ran through (v.55) = ran around, in the sense of a circle.

carry about (v.55) = carry around

wherever they heard (v.55) — tense indicates continuous action

It appears that, as soon as Jesus was recognized, people ran all around the vicinity, telling everyone that He was there. Anyone who cared for a sick person immediately brought that person to Jesus. If He wasn’t still at the location when they arrived, they continued carrying the sick to where they had heard He was most recently seen — chasing Him, as it were.

hem (v.56) = The fringe of a garment, a little appendage hanging down from the edge of the mantle or cloak. The Jews had such an appendage attached to their mantles to remind them of the law. The word “garment” [refers to] the upper or outer garment, the cloak or mantle thrown over the tunic, [which is] the undergarment. — Wuest, page 140.

Mark doesn’t mention that Jesus did any teaching at this point. The people were anxious to be healed by Him — and He accommodated them — but they weren’t interested in hearing what He had to say. In fact, Mark went immediately from this historical account to telling of yet another accusation against Jesus and His disciples.