Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
1 Then Jesus went out from there. He came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. 2 When the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing him were amazed, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is this wisdom that has been given to him, that such miracles are done by his hands? 3 Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Are these not his sisters here with us?” And they were offended by him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 He could do no miracles there, except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He marveled at their unbelief. And he went around teaching in the villages.
The Ministry of the Twelve
7 He called the Twelve to himself and began to send them out two by two, and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He commanded them to take nothing for their journey, except only a staff: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse, 9 but to wear sandals, and not to wear two coats.
10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from that town. 11 Whoever will not receive you nor listen to you, as you depart, shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They cast out many demons and anointed many with oil who were sick and healed them.
The Beheading of John
14 King Herod heard this, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, or like one of the prophets.” 16 But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.”
17 For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, for he had married her. 18 For John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was intrigued, and he enjoyed listening to him.
21 Then an opportunity came, when Herod held a banquet on his birthday for his nobles, the high officers, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” 23 He swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”
24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
She said, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25 She came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, “I want you to give me, right now, the head of John the Baptist, on a platter.”
26 The king was extremely sorrowful, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he did not wish to refuse her.
27 Immediately the king sent for an executioner and commanded that the head of John the Baptist be brought to him, and the executioner went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the young lady, and the young lady gave it to her mother.
29 When his disciples heard this, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.
The Feeding of the 5,000
30 The apostles gathered together around Jesus and reported to him, all the things they had done and what they had taught. 31 He said to them, “Come apart into a deserted place and rest awhile,” for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to even eat. 32 They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
33 And many people saw them leaving and recognized him and ran there on foot from all the cities, arriving ahead of them. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35 When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it is late in the day. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.”
37 But he answered them, “Give them something to eat.”
They asked him, “Shall we go and buy 200 silver coins worth of bread, and give them something to eat?”
38 He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go see.”
When they knew, they said, “Five, and two fish.”
39 He commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among all of them. 42 They all ate and were filled. 43 They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and also the fish. 44 Those who ate the loaves were about 5,000 men.
Jesus Walks on Water
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away. 46 And when he had sent them away, he went up the mountain to pray.
47 When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on land. 48 Seeing them straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, and sometime between 3:00 and 6:00 in the morning, he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them, 49 but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, thought that it was a ghost, and cried out; 50 for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them and said to them, “Have courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.” 51 He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased, and they were utterly amazed; 52 for they had not understood about the loaves, for their hearts were hardened.
Jesus Heals at Gennesaret
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and drew to the shore. 54 When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized him 55 and ran throughout the whole region, bringing those who were sick, on their mats to where they heard he was. 56 Wherever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment, and as many as touched him were made well.