1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,2and he said to his attendants, ‘This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,4for John had been saying to him: ‘It is not lawful for you to have her.’5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.6On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.8Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist.’9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted10and had John beheaded in the prison.11His head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.12John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Jesus feeds the five thousand
13When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns.14When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed those who were ill.15As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’16Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’17‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered.18‘Bring them here to me,’ he said.19And he told the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.20They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.21The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus walks on the water
22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,24and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.25Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear.27But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’28‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’29‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came towards Jesus.30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.33Then those who were in the boat worshipped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’34When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret.35And when the men of that place recognised Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all who were ill to him36and begged him to let those who were ill just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Matthew 14
English Standard Version
The Death of John the Baptist
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, (Mr 6:14; Lu 3:1; Lu 9:7; Ac 13:1)2and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” (Mt 16:14)3For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,[1] (Mt 11:2; Lu 3:19; Joh 3:24)4because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” (Le 18:16; Le 20:21)5And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. (Mt 11:9; Mt 21:26; Mt 21:46)6But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, (Ge 40:20)7so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.8Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”9And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.10He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,11and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.12And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. (Mt 9:14)
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. (Mt 15:32; Mt 16:9; Mr 6:32; Mr 8:2; Lu 9:10; Joh 6:1)14When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Mt 9:36)15Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” (Mt 14:22; Mt 15:23)16But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” (2Ki 4:42)17They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”18And he said, “Bring them here to me.”19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. (1Sa 9:13; Mt 26:26; Mr 7:34; Mr 8:7; Mr 14:22; Lu 24:30; Joh 11:41; Joh 17:1; 1Co 14:16)20And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.21And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Water
22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. (Mt 8:18; Mr 6:45; Joh 6:15)23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, (Mr 1:35; Mr 13:35; Lu 5:16; Lu 6:12; Lu 9:28)24but the boat by this time was a long way[2] from the land,[3] beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.25And in the fourth watch of the night[4] he came to them, walking on the sea. (Mt 14:22)26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. (Lu 24:37)27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (De 31:6; Isa 41:13; Isa 43:1; Mt 17:7; Joh 16:33)28And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. (Joh 21:7)30But when he saw the wind,[5] he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (Mt 8:25)31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt 6:30; Jas 1:6)32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. (Mt 14:30)33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Ps 2:7; Mt 3:17; Mt 8:2; Mt 14:22; Mt 16:16; Mt 26:63; Mr 1:1; Lu 1:35; Lu 4:41; Joh 1:49; Joh 6:14; Joh 10:36; Joh 11:27; Joh 20:31)
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
34And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. (Mr 6:53; Lu 5:1; Joh 6:24)35And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick (Mt 4:24)36and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well. (Mt 9:20; Mr 3:10; Lu 6:19; Ac 5:15)