1And he went out from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.
2And when the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many who heard were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? And that such mighty works are performed by his hands?”
3“Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”
5And he could not do any mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6And he marveled at their unbelief. And he went about the surrounding villages, teaching.
7And he called the twelve to him and began to send them out two by two, and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
8He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff only—no bread, no bag, no copper coins in their belts—
9but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.
10And he said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.”
11“And if any place will not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake off the dust from under your feet as a testimony to them.”
12So they went out and preached that people should repent.
13And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why these mighty powers are at work in him.”
15But others were saying, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets.”
16But when Herod heard, he said, “John, whom I beheaded—he has been raised!”
17For Herod himself had sent and arrested John, and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because Herod had married her.
18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
19So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not.
20For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
21But an opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
22the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, and she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”
23And he swore an oath to her, “Whatever you ask me for, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
24She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25And she came in immediately with haste to the king and made her request, saying, “I want you to give me, right now on a platter, the head of John the Baptist.”
26And the king was deeply grieved, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.
27So immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head.
28He went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.
31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a solitary place and rest a little.” For many were coming and going, and they did not even have an opportunity to eat.
32And they went away in the boat to a solitary place by themselves.
33But many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.
34And when he got out, he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
35And when it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it is already very late.
36Send them away, so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”
38But he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”
39And he commanded them to have everyone recline in groups on the green grass.
40And they reclined in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.
41And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and kept giving them to his disciples to set before them. And he divided the two fish among them all.
42And they all ate and were satisfied.
43And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.
44And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
45And immediately he compelled his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he himself dismissed the crowd.
46And after saying farewell to them, he went away to the mountain to pray.
47And when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
48And seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, around the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. And he intended to pass by them.
49But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out,
50for they all saw him and were terrified. But he immediately spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage! I am. Do not be afraid.”
51And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded within themselves,
52for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
53And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat.
54And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him
55and ran about that whole region and began to carry the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.
56And wherever he entered villages or cities or the countryside, they would lay the sick in the marketplaces and beg him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched him were made well.
Open in the interactive reader →