1Senere tog Jesus sammen med disciplene af sted til sin hjemby, Nazaret. (Matt 13,53)2Da det blev sabbat, gik de alle ind i synagogen, hvor Jesus fik lejlighed til at undervise. De mange tilhørere blev slået af forundring og udbrød: „Hvor har han alt det fra? Hvordan har han fået så stor en visdom? Hvordan har han kunnet udføre de undere, vi hører om?3Han er jo bare en almindelig håndværker, Marias søn. Vi kender hans brødre, Jakob, Jose,[1] Judas og Simon, og hans søstre bor her i byen.” Og fordi de kendte ham, ville de ikke acceptere, at han kunne være Messias. (Matt 13,55)4Jesus sagde da til dem: „Ingen steder bliver der set så meget ned på en profet som i hans egen by, i hans hjem og i hans familie.”5Han kunne ikke gøre nogen særlige undere iblandt dem, men lagde kun hænderne på nogle få syge og helbredte dem.6Og han undrede sig meget over deres mangel på tro. Derefter gik han videre til landsbyerne deromkring og underviste folk.
Jesus udsender de 12 disciple
7En dag kaldte Jesus de Tolv sammen og sagde til dem, at han ville sende dem ud to og to sammen, for at de skulle forkynde budskabet om Guds rige. Han gav dem autoritet til at drive onde ånder ud (Matt 10,5; Luk 9,1)8-9og sagde til dem, at de ikke skulle tage andet med på rejsen end deres vandringsstav. „I skal hverken tage mad eller penge med,” fortsatte han, „heller ikke en taske med ekstra tøj og sandaler.10Når I kommer til et hjem, hvor de tager imod jer, skal I blive boende dér. Lad være med at flytte fra hus til hus.11Hvis ingen vil invitere jer indenfor eller høre på jer, så forlad den by og ryst støvet af jeres fødder som tegn på, at fra nu af er de overladt til deres egen skæbne.”12Så tog disciplene af sted. Overalt hvor de kom frem, forkyndte de, at folk skulle ændre deres indstilling og tro på Jesus.13De uddrev mange dæmoner og helbredte mange syge, idet de salvede dem med olie.
Kong Herodes funderer over, hvem Jesus er
14Jesus blev mere og mere kendt, og det varede ikke længe, før også kong Herodes hørte rygterne om ham. Man diskuterede, hvem Jesus egentlig var. Nogle mente, at det måtte være Johannes Døber, der var genopstået fra de døde, og at det var derfor, han kunne gøre mirakler. (Matt 14,1; Luk 9,7)15Andre mente, at det var profeten Elias, som nu var kommet tilbage, mens andre mente, at han var en profet ligesom de kendte profeter fra gamle dage.16Da Herodes hørte alle rygterne, sagde han: „Det må være Johannes Døber, der er genopstået fra de døde, ham jeg lod halshugge!”17-19Der var nemlig sket det, at Herodes efter pres fra Herodias havde ladet Johannes arrestere og sætte i fængsel. Herodias var egentlig gift med Filip, en bror til Herodes. Alligevel havde Herodes giftet sig med hende, og derfor havde Johannes sagt til ham: „Du har ikke lov til at leve sammen med din brors kone!” Det var Herodias blevet så rasende over, at hun ville have Johannes slået ihjel. Det gik Herodes dog ikke med til, men lod ham arrestere og sætte i fængsel. Herodias blev ved med at hade Johannes,20men Herodes var bange for ham og holdt hånden over ham, fordi han vidste, at Johannes var en retskaffen og hellig mand. Hver gang kongen hørte Johannes tale, blev han ilde berørt, men han ville alligevel gerne høre ham.21Så en dag fik Herodias sin store chance. Det var Herodes’ fødselsdag, og han holdt fest for alle sine hoffolk og officerer samt Galilæas fremstående borgere.22Herodias’ datter kom ind og dansede for selskabet. De blev alle vildt begejstrede, og kongen svor på, at hun skulle få hvad som helst, hun ville have.23„Forlang hvad du vil!” råbte han. „Om det så er det halve kongerige, skal du få det!”24Pigen løb ud til sin mor og spurgte: „Hvad skal jeg forlange?” „Johannes Døbers hoved,” svarede Herodias.25Pigen løb tilbage til kongen. „Giv mig Johannes Døbers hoved,” sagde hun, „nu med det samme—på et fad!”26Kongen blev hed om ørerne, men han kunne ikke få sig selv til at bryde den ed, han lige havde svoret foran alle gæsterne.27Så han gav straks en ordre til en af vagterne, som med det samme gik ned i fængslet og halshuggede Johannes.28Hovedet blev bragt op på et fad og overrakt til den unge pige, der gav det videre til sin mor.29Da Johannes’ disciple hørte, hvad der var sket, kom de og hentede hans lig og begravede det.
Bespisningen af de 5000
30De apostle, som Jesus havde sendt ud to og to, kom nu tilbage og fortalte om alt det, de havde udført og undervist om. (Matt 14,13; Luk 9,10; Joh 6,1)31„I trænger til at hvile jer,” sagde Jesus. „Lad os tage hen til et øde sted, hvor vi kan være alene.” Folk blev nemlig ved med at komme og gå, så de ikke engang havde ro til at spise.32Så sejlede de ud på søen for at tage hen til et øde sted.33Men mange mennesker, som havde set dem tage af sted, løb langs bredden og nåede frem til stedet i forvejen. Også mange folk fra byerne deromkring sluttede sig til flokken.34Da Jesus gik i land, blev han mødt af en stor skare mennesker, der havde samlet sig, og han blev fyldt af medlidenhed, for de var som får uden hyrde. Og han begyndte at undervise dem om mange ting.35Sidst på eftermiddagen kom hans disciple hen til ham og sagde: „Det er ved at blive sent, og stedet her er øde.36Du må hellere sende alle de mennesker bort, så de kan gå hen til gårdene og landsbyerne heromkring og købe sig noget at spise.”37„I kan give dem noget at spise!” svarede Jesus. „Vil du have, at vi skal købe brød for 200 denarer[2] til alle de mennesker!” spurgte de.38„Gå hen og se efter, hvad vi selv har af brød,” svarede han. Et øjeblik efter kom de igen. „Vi har fem brød og to fisk,” sagde de.39Han bad dem så om at få folk til at sætte sig ned på rad og række i det grønne græs,40og de satte sig i rækker med 50 mand i hver. Det blev til 100 rækker.[3]41Jesus tog nu de fem brød og de to fisk, så op mod himlen og takkede Gud for dem. Derefter brækkede han brødene i stykker og begyndte at dele ud til disciplene, for at de skulle give dem videre til alle de mennesker, der var til stede. Også de to fisk blev delt ud,42og alle fik nok og blev mætte.43-445000 mænd blev bespist, og bagefter samlede man de tiloversblevne stykker brød og fisk sammen. Det blev til 12 fyldte kurve.
Disciplenes tøvende tro
45Straks efter gav Jesus disciplene besked om at gå i båden og sejle i forvejen i retning af Betsajda, mens han selv sendte folkeskaren bort. (Matt 14,22; Joh 6,15)46Da han havde gjort det, gik han op på bjergskråningen for at bede.47Det var efterhånden blevet ud på natten, og båden var allerede et godt stykke ude på søen. Inde på land stod Jesus alene,48og han kunne se, hvordan disciplene sled i det med årerne, for de havde strid modvind. Kort før daggry kom Jesus gående ud til dem på vandet, og han nåede helt op på siden af båden, før de opdagede ham.49Da de så en skikkelse gå på vandet, skreg de af rædsel, for de troede, det var et spøgelse.50Men Jesus råbte til dem: „I skal ikke være bange—det er mig!”51Så klatrede han op i båden til dem, og straks lagde vinden sig. Disciplene var overvældede og ude af stand til at fatte, hvad der foregik.52At Jesus netop havde udført et mirakel ved at bespise 5000 mennesker, var ikke nok til, at de forstod, at for ham var det overnaturlige naturligt.
Helbredelser i Genesaret området
53De styrede nu båden ind mod land og lagde til ved et sted, som kaldes Genesaret. (Matt 14,34)54Aldrig så snart var de kommet ned fra båden, før folk genkendte ham.55De skyndte sig rundt i hele omegnen for at fortælle, at Jesus var kommet. En masse syge blev bragt til ham på bårer,56og hvor han end kom i landsbyer og byer og omkring på gårdene, blev de syge lagt ud på åbne pladser. Overalt tiggede lidende mennesker om at få lov at røre ved kvasten på hans bedesjal, og alle, der rørte ved ham, blev raske.
1He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. (Matt 2,23; Matt 13,54; Luk 4,16; Luk 4,23)2And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? (Matt 4,23; Matt 7,28; Mark 1,21; Luk 4,31; Luk 6,6; Luk 13,10; Ap G 13,14)3Is not this 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. (Matt 11,6; Matt 13,55; Mark 3,31; Luk 4,22; Joh 6,42)4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” (Jer 11,21; Jer 12,6; Luk 4,24; Joh 4,44; Joh 7,5)5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. (1.Mos 19,22; Mark 5,23; Mark 9,23)6And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. (Matt 8,10; Matt 9,35; Matt 11,1; Luk 8,1; Luk 13,22)
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
7And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. (Matt 10,1; Matt 10,5; Matt 10,9; Mark 3,13; Luk 9,1; Luk 9,3; Luk 10,4; Luk 22,35)8He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.[1] (Ap G 12,8)10And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.11And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” (Neh 5,13; Mark 1,44; Ap G 13,51; Ap G 18,6)12So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. (Matt 3,2; Matt 4,17; Matt 10,7; Luk 9,6)13And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them. (Mark 6,12; Jak 5,14)
The Death of John the Baptist
14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’[2] name had become known. Some[3] said, “John the Baptist[4] has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Matt 14,1; Matt 16,14; Mark 8,28; Luk 9,7)15But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” (Matt 21,11; Mark 6,14)16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”17For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. (Matt 11,2; Luk 3,19; Joh 3,24)18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (3.Mos 18,16; 3.Mos 20,21; Mark 6,17)19And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not,20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. (Matt 14,5; Matt 21,26; Mark 4,16; Mark 12,37)21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. (1.Mos 40,20; 1.Kong 3,15; Ester 1,3; Ester 2,18)22For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”23And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” (Ester 5,3; Ester 7,2)24And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”25And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”26And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.27And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s[5] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison28and 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 body and laid it in a tomb. (Matt 9,14)
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. (Matt 10,2; Luk 6,13; Luk 9,10; Luk 17,5; Luk 22,14; Luk 24,10)31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. (Mark 3,20)32And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. (Matt 14,13; Mark 3,9; Mark 8,2; Luk 9,10; Joh 6,1)33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. (Mark 6,54)34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. (Matt 9,36)35And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.36Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” (Matt 15,23; Mark 6,45)37But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii[6] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” (4.Mos 11,13; 4.Mos 11,21; 2.Kong 4,42; Joh 6,7)38And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” (Mark 8,19)39Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.40So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.41And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. (1.Sam 9,13; Matt 26,26; Mark 7,34; Mark 8,7; Mark 14,22; Luk 24,30; Joh 11,41; Joh 17,1; 1.Kor 14,16)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.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. (Matt 8,18; Matt 14,22; Mark 6,32; Mark 8,22; Luk 9,10; Joh 6,15)46And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. (Mark 1,35; Luk 5,16; Luk 6,12; Luk 9,28)47And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. (Mark 13,35)48And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night[7] he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, (Mark 6,47; Luk 24,28)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 immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (5.Mos 31,6; Es 41,13; Es 43,1; Matt 17,7; Luk 24,37; Joh 16,33)51And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,52for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. (Mark 3,5; Mark 8,17; Joh 12,40; Rom 11,7; 2.Kor 3,14)
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. (Matt 14,34; Luk 5,1; Joh 6,24)54And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him (Mark 6,33)55and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. (Matt 4,24; Luk 5,18)56And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (Matt 9,20; Mark 3,10; Luk 6,19; Ap G 5,15)