Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth
(Matthew 13.53-58Luke 4.16-30)1 Jesus left that place and went back to his hometown, followed by his disciples. 2 On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue. Many people were there; and when they heard him, they were all amazed. “Where did he get all this?” they asked. “What wisdom is this that has been given him? How does he perform miracles? 3 Isn't he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren't his sisters living here?” And so they rejected him.
4 Jesus said to them, “Prophets are respected everywhere except in their own hometown and by their relatives and their family.”
5 He was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 He was greatly surprised, because the people did not have faith.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples
(Matthew 10.5-15Luke 9.1-6)Then Jesus went to the villages around there, teaching the people. 7 He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits 8 and ordered them, “Don't take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick—no bread, no beggar's bag, no money in your pockets. 9 Wear sandals, but don't carry an extra shirt.” 10 He also told them, “Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place. 11 If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!”
12 So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins. 13 They drove out many demons, and rubbed olive oil on many sick people and healed them.
The Death of John the Baptist
(Matthew 14.1-12Luke 9.7-9)14 Now King Herod heard about all this, because Jesus' reputation had spread everywhere. Some people were saying, “John the Baptist has come back to life! That is why he has this power to perform miracles.”
15 Others, however, said, “He is Elijah.”
Others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16 When Herod heard it, he said, “He is John the Baptist! I had his head cut off, but he has come back to life!” 17 Herod himself had ordered John's arrest, and he had him tied up and put in prison. Herod did this because of Herodias, whom he had married, even though she was the wife of his brother Philip. 18 John the Baptist kept telling Herod, “It isn't right for you to marry your brother's wife!”
19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she could not because of Herod. 20 Herod was afraid of John because he knew that John was a good and holy man, and so he kept him safe. He liked to listen to him, even though he became greatly disturbed every time he heard him.
21 Finally Herodias got her chance. It was on Herod's birthday, when he gave a feast for all the top government officials, the military chiefs, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and his guests. So the king said to the girl, “What would you like to have? I will give you anything you want.” 23 With many vows he said to her, “I swear that I will give you anything you ask for, even as much as half my kingdom!”
24 So the girl went out and asked her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25 The girl hurried back at once to the king and demanded, “I want you to give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a plate!”
26 This made the king very sad, but he could not refuse her because of the vows he had made in front of all his guests. 27 So he sent off a guard at once with orders to bring John's head. The guard left, went to the prison, and cut John's head off; 28 then he brought it on a plate and gave it to the girl, who gave it to her mother. 29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and got his body, and buried it.
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
(Matthew 14.13-21Luke 9.10-17John 6.1-14)30 The apostles returned and met with Jesus, and told him all they had done and taught. 31 There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his disciples didn't even have time to eat. So he said to them, “Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest a while.” 32 So they started out in a boat by themselves to a lonely place.
33 Many people, however, saw them leave and knew at once who they were; so they went from all the towns and ran ahead by land and arrived at the place ahead of Jesus and his disciples. 34 When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. 35 When it was getting late, his disciples came to him and said, “It is already very late, and this is a lonely place. 36 Send the people away, and let them go to the nearby farms and villages in order to buy themselves something to eat.”
37 “You yourselves give them something to eat,” Jesus answered.
They asked, “Do you want us to go and spend two hundred silver coins on bread in order to feed them?”
38 So Jesus asked them, “How much bread do you have? Go and see.”
When they found out, they told him, “Five loaves and also two fish.”
39 Jesus then told his disciples to make all the people divide into groups and sit down on the green grass. 40 So the people sat down in rows, in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty. 41 Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and had enough. 43 Then the disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left of the bread and the fish. 44 The number of men who were fed was five thousand.
Jesus Walks on the Water
(Matthew 14.22-33John 6.15-21)45 At once Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake, while he sent the crowd away. 46 After saying good-bye to the people, he went away to a hill to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, while Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because they were rowing against the wind; so sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, he came to them, walking on the water. He was going to pass them by, 49 but they saw him walking on the water. “It's a ghost!” they thought, and screamed. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him.
Jesus spoke to them at once, “Courage!” he said. “It is I. Don't be afraid!” 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely amazed, 52 because they had not understood the real meaning of the feeding of the five thousand; their minds could not grasp it.
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
(Matthew 14.34-36)53 They crossed the lake and came to land at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat. 54 As they left the boat, people recognized Jesus at once. 55 So they ran throughout the whole region; and wherever they heard he was, they brought to him the sick lying on their mats. 56 And everywhere Jesus went, to villages, towns, or farms, people would take their sick to the marketplaces and beg him to let the sick at least touch the edge of his cloak. And all who touched it were made well.
1 And he departed thence, and came into his owne countrey, and his disciples followed him. 2 And when the Sabbath was come, he began to teach in the Synagogue, and many that heard him, were astonied, and sayd, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdome is this that is giuen vnto him, that euen such great workes are done by his hands? 3 Is not this that carpenter Maries sonne, the brother of Iames and Ioses, and of Iuda and Simon? and are not his sisters here with vs? And they were offended in him. 4 Then Iesus sayd vnto them, A Prophet is not without honour, but in his owne countrey, and among his owne kindred, and in his own house. 5 And he could there doe no great workes, saue that hee layd his hands vpon a fewe sicke folke, and healed them, 6 And he marueiled at their vnbeliefe, and went about by ye townes on euery side, teaching. 7 And he called vnto him the twelue, and began to send them forth two and two, and gaue them power ouer vncleane spirits, 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their iourney, saue a staffe onely: neither scrip, neither bread, neither money in their girdles: 9 But that they should be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coates. 10 And he sayd vnto them, Wheresoeuer ye shall enter into an house, there abide till ye depart thence. 11 And whosoeuer shall not receiue you, nor heare you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust that is vnder your feete, for a witnes vnto them. Verely I say vnto you, It shalbe easier for Sodom, or Gomorrha at the day of iudgement, then for that citie. 12 And they went out, and preached, that men should amend their liues. 13 And they cast out many deuils: and they anointed many that were sicke, with oyle, and healed them. 14 Then King Herod heard of him (for his name was made manifest) and sayd, Iohn Baptist is risen againe from the dead, and therefore great workes are wrought by him. 15 Other sayd, It is Elias, and some sayd, It is a Prophet, or as one of those Prophets. 16 So when Herod heard it, he said, It is Iohn whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. 17 For Herod him selfe had sent forth, and had taken Iohn, and bound him in prison for Herodias sake, which was his brother Philippes wife, because he had maried her. 18 For Iohn sayd vnto Herod, It is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife. 19 Therefore Herodias layd waite against him, and would haue killed him, but she could not: 20 For Herod feared Iohn, knowing that hee was a iust man, and an holy, and reuerenced him, and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. 21 But the time being conuenient, when Herod on his birth day made a banket to his princes and captaines, and chiefe estates of Galile: 22 And the daughter of the same Herodias came in, and daunced, and pleased Herod, and them that sate at table together, the King sayd vnto the mayde, Aske of me what thou wilt, and I will giue it thee. 23 And he sware vnto her, Whatsoeuer thou shalt aske of me, I will giue it thee, euen vnto the halfe of my kingdome. 24 So she went forth, and said to her mother, What shall I aske? And she said, Iohn Baptists head. 25 Then she came in straightway with haste vnto the King, and asked, saying, I would that thou shouldest giue me euen now in a charger the head of Iohn Baptist. 26 Then the King was very sory: yet for his othes sake, and for their sakes which sate at table with him, he would not refuse her. 27 And immediatly the King sent the hangman, and gaue charge that his head shoulde be brought in. So he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gaue it to the maide, and the maide gaue it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard it, they came and tooke vp his body, and put it in a tombe. 30 And the Apostles gathered themselues together to Iesus, and tolde him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he sayd vnto them, Come ye apart into the wildernes, and rest a while: for there were many commers and goers, that they had not leasure to eate. 32 So they went by ship out of the way into a desart place. 33 But the people sawe them when they departed, and many knewe him, and ran a foote thither out of all cities, and came thither before them, and assembled vnto him. 34 Then Iesus went out, and sawe a great multitude, and had compassion on them, because they were like sheepe which had no shepheard: and he began to teach them many things. 35 And when the day was nowe farre spent, his disciples came vnto him, saying, This is a desart place, and nowe the day is farre passed. 36 Let them depart, that they may goe into the countrey and townes about, and buy them bread: for they haue nothing to eate. 37 But he answered, and said vnto them, Giue yee them to eate. And they said vnto him, Shall we goe, and buy two hundreth peny worth of bread, and giue them to eate? 38 Then he sayde vnto them, Howe many loaues haue ye? goe and looke. And when they knewe it, they sayd, Fiue, and two fishes. 39 So he commanded them to make them all sit downe by companies vpon the greene grasse. 40 Then they sate downe by rowes, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41 And he tooke the fiue loaues, and the two fishes, and looked vp to heauen, and gaue thanks, and brake the loaues, and gaue them to his disciples to set before them, and the two fishes he deuided among them all. 42 So they did all eate, and were satisfied. 43 And they tooke vp twelue baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. 44 And they that had eaten, were about fiue thousand men. 45 And straightway he caused his disciples to goe into the ship, and to goe before vnto the other side vnto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. 46 Then assoone as he had sent them away, he departed into a mountaine to pray. 47 And when euen was come, the ship was in the mids of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48 And he saw them troubled in rowing, (for the winde was contrary vnto them) and about the fourth watch of the night, hee came vnto them, walking vpon the sea, and would haue passed by them. 49 And when they saw him walking vpon the sea, they supposed it had bene a spirit, and cried out. 50 For they all saw him, and were sore afrayd: but anon he talked with them, and said vnto them, Be ye of good comfort: it is I, be not afrayd. 51 Then he went vp vnto them into the ship, and the winde ceased, and they were much more amased in them selues, and marueiled. 52 For they had not considered the matter of the loaues, because their hearts were hardened. 53 And they came ouer, and went into the land of Gennesaret, and arriued. 54 So when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knewe him, 55 And ran about throughout all that region round about, and began to cary hither and thither in couches all that were sicke, where they heard that he was. 56 And whithersoeuer he entred into townes, or cities, or villages, they laide their sicke in the streetes, and prayed him that they might touch at the least the edge of his garment. And as many as touched him, were made whole.