Matthew 14
John
the Baptist Beheaded
“At
that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about JESUS,
2 and 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.’
3 Now Herod had arrested John and
bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s
wife,
4 for John had been saying to him: ‘It
is not lawful for you to have her.’
5 Herod wanted to
kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a
prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter
of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much
7 that he promised with an oath to
give her whatever she asked.
8 Prompted by her mother, she said, ‘Give
me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.’
9 The king was
distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her
request be granted
10 and had John beheaded in the
prison.
11 His head was brought in on a
platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.
12 John’s disciples came and took his
body and buried it. Then they went and told JESUS.
JESUS Feeds the Five Thousand
13 When 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.
14 When JESUS landed and saw a large crowd, HE HAD COMPASSION ON THEM AND
HEALED THEIR SICK.
15 As 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 they can go to the villages and buy
themselves some food.’
16 JESUS
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.
19 And HE directed 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.
20 They all ate and were satisfied,
and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left
over.
21 The number of those who ate was
about five thousand men, besides women and children.
JESUS Walks
on the Water
22 Immediately JESUS made the
disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of HIM to the other side, while HE
dismissed the crowd.
23 After HE had dismissed them, HE
went up on a mountainside by HIMSELF to pray. Later that night, HE was
there alone,
24 and the boat was already a
considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was
against it.
25 Shortly before dawn JESUS went out to
them, walking on the lake.
26 When the disciples saw HIM walking
on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out
in fear.
27 But 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
toward JESUS.
30 But when he saw the wind, he was
afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘LORD, save me!’
31 Immediately JESUS reached out HIS
hand and caught him. ‘You
of little faith,’ HE
said, ‘why
did you doubt?’
32 And when they climbed into the
boat, the wind died down.
33 Then those who were in the boat
worshiped HIM, saying,
‘Truly
you are THE SON OF GOD.’
34 When they had crossed over, they
landed at Gennesaret.
35 And when the men of that place
recognized JESUS,
they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to
HIM
36 and begged HIM
to let the sick just touch the edge of HIS cloak, and all who touched it
were healed.”
