Mathayo 14

Herod and the death of John

¹Around that time, reports about Jesus reached Herod the tetrarch. ²“This is John the Baptist,” he told his courtiers. “He has been raised from the dead, and that is why he can do these mighty works.”

³Herod had earlier arrested John, put him in chains and locked him in prison. He did it for the sake of Herodias, who had been the wife of his brother Philip. ⁴John had told Herod again and again, “The law does not allow you to have her.”^{a 5}He would have liked to put John to death, but he was afraid of the crowds, who looked on John as a prophet. ⁶When Herod’s birthday was being celebrated, Herodias’s daughter danced in front of everyone. Herod was so delighted with her ⁷that he swore to give her anything she asked for. ⁸Her mother told her what to say, and she answered, “Give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter, right here.” ⁹This grieved the king. Yet because of his oaths, and because of the guests at his table, he gave orders for her request to be granted. ¹⁰He sent word to the prison, and there John was beheaded. ¹¹Someone carried the head in on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she in turn brought it to her mother. ¹²Then John’s disciples came for his body and buried it, and they went to tell Jesus what had happened.

Five loaves for a great crowd

¹³When Jesus heard the news, he got into a boat and went off to a deserted place to be alone. But the crowds found out, and they came after him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴As he stepped ashore, he saw a large crowd. He felt deep pity for them, and he healed those among them who were sick. ¹⁵When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, “There is nothing out here, and the day is nearly over. Let the crowds go now, so they can find food to buy in the villages.” ¹⁶But Jesus told them, “They do not have to go away. Give them food yourselves.” ¹⁷They said to him, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸He told them, “Bring them over here to me.” ¹⁹He had the people sit down on the grass. Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and spoke the blessing. He broke the loaves and handed them to the disciples, and the disciples passed them to the crowds. ²⁰Everyone ate and had enough. Then they collected what remained of the broken pieces, and it filled twelve baskets. ²¹The men who ate numbered about 5,000, not counting women and children.

Jesus comes to them across the water

²²Straight after this, Jesus insisted that the disciples get into the boat and go on before him across the lake. Meanwhile he would send the crowds home. ²³Once the crowds had gone, he climbed up into the hills by himself to pray. Evening came, and he was still there by himself. ²⁴By then the boat was a mile or more from shore, and the waves were pounding it, since the wind was blowing against them.^{b 25}In the last watch of the night, he came out to them, walking on the water. ²⁶The disciples saw him coming across the water and were thrown into panic. “A ghost!” they cried, and they shouted out in terror. ²⁷Jesus spoke to them at once: “Be brave! It is I. There is nothing to fear.”^c

²⁸Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is really you, give me the order to come to you over the water.” ²⁹“Come,” he said. So Peter climbed down out of the boat, stepped onto the water, and walked toward Jesus. ³⁰But when he noticed how strong the wind was, fear took hold of him. He started to go under, and he shouted, “Lord, save me!”^{d 31}Jesus at once put out his hand and took hold of him. “You have so little faith,” he said to him. “Why did you doubt?” ³²As soon as the two of them had climbed into the boat, the wind dropped. ³³Everyone in the boat fell down and worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they said.

Healing at Gennesaret

³⁴After crossing the lake, they came ashore at Gennesaret. ³⁵The people of that place knew who he was, and they sent messengers all through the region around. They brought to him everyone who was ill ³⁶and pleaded to be allowed simply to touch the tassel of his cloak. Every one of them who touched it was fully healed.