1 IN quel tempo, Erode il tetrarca udì la fama di Gesù. E disse ai suoi servitori:

2 Costui è Giovanni Battista; egli è risuscitato da’ morti; e però le potenze operano in lui.

3 Perciocchè Erode avea preso Giovanni, e l’avea messo ne’ legami, e l’avea incarcerato, a motivo di Erodiada, moglie di Filippo, suo fratello.

4 Perciocchè Giovanni gli diceva: Ei non ti è lecito di ritenere costei.

5 E volendolo far morire, pure temette il popolo; perciocchè essi lo teneano per profeta.

6 Ora, celebrandosi il giorno della natività di Erode, la figliuola di Erodiada avea ballato ivi in mezzo, ed era piaciuta ad Erode.

7 Onde egli le promise, con giuramento, di darle tutto ciò ch’ella chiederebbe.

8 Ed ella, indotta prima da sua madre, disse: Dammi qui in un piatto la testa di Giovanni Battista.

9 E il re se ne attristò; ma pure, per li giuramenti, e per rispetto di coloro ch’erano con lui a tavola, comandò che le fosse data.

10 E mandò a far decapitar Giovanni Battista in prigione.

11 E la sua testa fu portata in un piatto, e data alla fanciulla; ed ella la portò a sua madre.

12 E i discepoli d’esso vennero, e tolsero il corpo, e lo seppellirono; poi vennero, e rapportarono il fatto a Gesù

13 E GESÙ, udito ciò, si ritrasse di là sopra una navicella, in un luogo deserto, in disparte. E la turbe uditolo, lo seguitarono a piè, dalle città.

14 E Gesù, essendo smontato dalla navicella, vide una gran moltitudine, e fu mosso a compassione inverso loro, e sanò gl’infermi d’infra loro.

15 E, facendosi sera, i suoi discepoli gli si accostarono, dicendo: Questo luogo è deserto, e l’ora è già passata; licenzia le turbe, acciocchè vadano per le castella, e si comperino da mangiare.

16 Ma Gesù disse loro: Non han bisogno di andarsene; date lor voi da mangiare.

17 Ed essi gli dissero: Noi non abbiam qui se non cinque pani, e due pesci.

18 Ed egli disse: Recatemeli qua.

19 E comandò che le turbe si coricassero sopra l’erba; poi prese i cinque pani, e i due pesci; e levati gli occhi al cielo, fece la benedizione; e, rotti i pani, li diede a’ discepoli, e i discepoli alle turbe.

20 E tutti mangiarono, e furon saziati; poi i discepoli levarono l’avanzo de’ pezzi, e ve ne furono dodici corbelli pieni.

21 Or coloro che aveano mangiato erano intorno a cinquemila uomini, oltre alle donne ed i fanciulli

22 INCONTANENTE appresso, Gesù costrinse i suoi discepoli a montare in su la navicella, ed a passare innanzi a lui all’altra riva, mentre egli licenziava le turbe.

23 Ed egli, dopo aver licenziate le turbe, salì in sul monte in disparte, per orare. E, fattosi sera, era quivi tutto solo.

24 E la navicella era già in mezzo del mare, travagliata dalle onde; perciocchè il vento era contrario.

25 E nella quarta vigilia della notte, Gesù se ne andò a loro, camminando sopra il mare.

26 E i discepoli, vedendolo camminar sopra il mare, si turbarono, dicendo: Egli è un fantasma. E di paura gridarono.

27 Ma subito Gesù parlò loro, dicendo: Rassicuratevi; sono io, non temiate.

28 E Pietro, rispondendogli, disse: Signore, se sei tu, comanda che io venga a te sopra le acque.

29 Ed egli disse: Vieni. E Pietro, smontato dalla navicella, camminava sopra le acque, per venire a Gesù.

30 Ma, vedendo il vento forte, ebbe paura; e, cominciando a sommergersi, gridò, dicendo: Signore, salvami.

31 E incontanente Gesù distese la mano, e lo prese, e gli disse: O uomo di poca fede, perchè hai dubitato?

32 Poi, quando furono entrati nella navicella, il vento si acquetò.

33 E coloro ch’erano nella navicella vennero, e l’adorarono, dicendo: Veramente tu sei il Figliuol di Dio

34 Poi, essendo passati all’altra riva, vennero nella contrada di Gennesaret.

35 E gli uomini di quel luogo, avendolo riconosciuto, mandarono a farlo sapere per tutta quella contrada circonvicina; e gli presentarono tutti I malati;

36 e lo pregavano che potessero sol toccare il lembo della sua vesta; e tutti quelli che lo toccarono furono sanati

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. 8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger. 9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her. 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 He said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.