Matthew 14
14
Chapter 14
Herod's soldiers kill John the Baptist
1At that time, people told Herod about the things that Jesus was doing. #14:1 Herod was the ruler in one of the four parts of Israel at that time. 2Herod said to his servants, ‘That man Jesus is really John the Baptist. John died but he has become alive again. That is the reason why this man can do these very powerful things.’
3Before that, Herod had commanded his soldiers, ‘Take hold of John. Tie his hands and feet and put him in prison.’ Herod had done this because of his wife Herodias. Before Herod married her, she was the wife of Herod's brother Philip. 4John had said to Herod, ‘Herodias was your brother's wife. So it is not right for you to have her as your wife.’ #14:4 Herodias had left Philip, her husband. Herod married her. So John told him what Moses had written in the Law. The Law said, ‘A man must not marry his brother's wife while his brother is still alive.’ Herod was not happy with John when he told him that. So Herod sent his men to put John in prison.
5Herod wanted to tell his soldiers that they must kill John. But the people thought that John was a prophet from God. So Herod was afraid to kill him.
6One day, when it was Herod's birthday, he asked people to come to a special meal. The daughter of Herodias danced in front of him and his visitors. Her dance caused Herod to become very happy. 7He said to the girl, ‘Ask me for anything that you want. I make a strong promise that I will give it to you.’ 8Herodias suggested to her daughter, ‘Ask Herod to give you John's head.’ So the girl said to Herod, ‘Give me the head of John the Baptist on a plate.’ 9Then Herod felt sad. But he had made a special promise to the girl, and his visitors had heard him. So he sent his men to do what she had asked for. 10He said to a soldier, ‘Go to the prison and cut off John's head.’ 11The soldier did this. Then he brought the head on a plate and he gave it to the girl. The girl took it and gave it to her mother.
12After this, John's disciples went to the prison. They took away John's body and they buried it. Then they went and they told Jesus what had happened.
Jesus gives food to 5,000 men and their families
13Jesus heard about what had happened to John. After that, he went away from that place. He sailed in a boat to a quiet place where he could be alone. But the crowd heard where Jesus had gone. So they left their towns and they went on land to the place where he was going. 14Jesus got out of the boat. He saw a large crowd there on the shore. He felt sorry for them. There were sick people among them and he made them well again.
15When it was almost evening, Jesus' disciples came to speak to him. They said to him, ‘We are in a place where there are no houses. It will soon be dark. Send the crowd away now, so that they can go to the villages near here. Then they can buy some food for themselves to eat.’
16Jesus said to them, ‘The people do not need to go away. You should give them some food to eat.’
17But the disciples said, ‘We only have five loaves of bread and two fish.’
18‘Bring the bread and fish here to me,’ Jesus said. 19Then he said to the large crowd, ‘Sit down on the grass.’ He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and he thanked God for the bread and the fish. Then he broke the bread into pieces. He gave the pieces of bread to his disciples, and they gave them to the crowd. 20Then everybody ate. They all had enough food and they were not hungry any more. Then the disciples picked up all the bits of food that people had not eaten. They filled 12 baskets with little bits of bread and fish. 21About 5,000 men ate the bread and fish. Women and children also ate it with them. #14:21 Only God could make five loaves of bread and two fish become enough to feed 5,000 men and their families. This showed them that God had caused Jesus to be very powerful.
Jesus walks on the water
22Immediately after this, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Get in the boat and sail across to the other side of the lake.’ Jesus said that he would first send the crowd away. Then he would also leave. 23So Jesus sent the crowd away. After they had gone, he went up on a mountain alone to pray. When it became dark, he was still there alone. 24At this time the boat with the disciples in it was in the middle of the lake. It was a long way from the land. The wind was blowing against the boat and the water was hitting it.
25Then, when it was nearly dawn, Jesus walked on the water towards his disciples. 26The disciples saw him walking on the water. They were very frightened. ‘It is a spirit,’ they said. They screamed loudly because they were afraid.
27But immediately Jesus said to them. ‘Be brave! It is I. Do not be afraid.’
28Peter replied, ‘Lord, is it really you? If it is you, say to me, “Come here! Walk to me on the water.” ’
29Jesus said to him, ‘Come to me.’
So Peter got down out of the boat. He walked on the water and he came towards Jesus. 30But then Peter saw that the wind was still blowing strongly. He became afraid and he began to go down into the water. He shouted to Jesus, ‘Lord, save me!’
31Immediately, Jesus put out his hand and he took hold of Peter. He said to Peter, ‘You should trust me more than you do. Why did you not believe that I could help you?’
32Jesus and Peter climbed up into the boat. Then the strong wind stopped. 33The disciples who were in the boat went down on their knees. They praised Jesus and they said to him, ‘It is true. You are really the Son of God.’
34They sailed across the lake and reached the shore at a place called Gennesaret. #14:34 Gennesaret was a part of the country on the west side of Lake Galilee.
35The people who lived in that place recognized Jesus. So they went to tell everyone who lived in places near there. People brought all their sick friends to him. 36The sick people asked Jesus for help. They wanted to touch only the edge of his coat. Every sick person who touched him became well again.
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Matthew 14
14
How John the Baptist Was Killed
1At that time Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard the reports about Jesus. 2So he said to his servants, “Jesus is John the Baptist, who has risen from the dead. That is why he can work these miracles.”
3Sometime before this, Herod had arrested John, tied him up, and put him into prison. Herod did this because of Herodias, who had been the wife of Philip, Herod’s brother. 4John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to be married to Herodias.” 5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they believed John was a prophet.
6On Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod and his guests, and she pleased him. 7So he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted. 8Herodias told her daughter what to ask for, so she said to Herod, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9Although King Herod was very sad, he had made a promise, and his dinner guests had heard him. So Herod ordered that what she asked for be done. 10He sent soldiers to the prison to cut off John’s head. 11And they brought it on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she took it to her mother. 12John’s followers came and got his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
More than Five Thousand Fed
13When Jesus heard what had happened to John, he left in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself. But the crowds heard about it and followed him on foot from the towns. 14When he arrived, he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them and healed those who were sick.
15When it was evening, his followers came to him and said, “No one lives in this place, and it is already late. Send the people away so they can go to the towns and buy food for themselves.”
16But Jesus answered, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
17They said to him, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish.”
18Jesus said, “Bring the bread and the fish to me.” 19Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking to heaven, he thanked God for the food. Jesus divided the bread and gave it to his followers, who gave it to the people. 20All the people ate and were satisfied. Then the followers filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of food. 21There were about five thousand men there who ate, not counting women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Water
22Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him across the lake. He stayed there to send the people home. 23After he had sent them away, he went by himself up into the hills to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone. 24By this time, the boat was already far away from land. It was being hit by waves, because the wind was blowing against it.
25Between three and six o’clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. 26When his followers saw him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus quickly spoke to them, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
28Peter said, “Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water.”
29Jesus said, “Come.”
And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. 30But when Peter saw the wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. Jesus said, “Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?”
32After they got into the boat, the wind became calm. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the Son of God!”
34When they had crossed the lake, they came to shore at Gennesaret. 35When the people there recognized Jesus, they told people all around there that Jesus had come, and they brought all their sick to him. 36They begged Jesus to let them touch just the edge of his coat, and all who touched it were healed.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.