1 Quando Herodes Antipas ouviu falar de Jesus, 2 disse a seus conselheiros: "Deve ser João Batista que ressuscitou dos mortos! Por isso ele tem poder para fazer esses milagres".

3 Herodes havia mandado prender e encarcerar João para agradar Herodias, que era esposa de Filipe, seu irmão. 4 João tinha dito repetidamente a Herodes: "É contra a lei que o senhor viva com ela". 5 Herodes queria matá-lo, mas tinha medo de provocar uma revolta, pois o povo acreditava que João era profeta.

6 Contudo, numa festa de aniversário de Herodes, a filha de Herodias dançou diante dos convidados e agradou muito o rei, 7 e ele prometeu, sob juramento, que lhe daria qualquer coisa que ela pedisse. 8 Instigada pela mãe, a moça disse: "Quero a cabeça de João Batista num prato!". 9 O rei se arrependeu do que tinha dito, mas, por causa do juramento feito diante dos convidados, deu as ordens para que atendessem ao pedido. 10 João foi decapitado na prisão, 11 e sua cabeça foi trazida num prato e entregue à moça, que a levou à sua mãe. 12 Os discípulos de João vieram, levaram seu corpo e o sepultaram. Em seguida, foram a Jesus e lhe contaram o que havia acontecido.

13 Logo que Jesus ouviu a notícia, partiu de barco para um lugar isolado, a fim de ficar só. As multidões, porém, descobriram para onde ele ia e o seguiram a pé, vindas de muitas cidades. 14 Quando Jesus saiu do barco, viu a grande multidão, teve compaixão dela e curou os enfermos.

15 Ao entardecer, os discípulos foram até ele e disseram: "Este lugar é isolado, e já está ficando tarde. Mande as multidões embora, para que possam ir aos povoados e comprar comida".

16 "Não há necessidade", disse Jesus. "Providenciem vocês mesmos alimento para elas."

17 Eles responderam: "Temos apenas cinco pães e dois peixes!".

18 "Tragam para cá", disse ele. 19 Em seguida, mandou o povo sentar-se na grama. Tomou os cinco pães e os dois peixes, olhou para o céu e os abençoou. Então, partiu os pães em pedaços e os entregou a seus discípulos, que distribuíram às multidões. 20 Todos comeram à vontade, e os discípulos recolheram doze cestos com as sobras. 21 Os que comeram foram cerca de cinco mil homens, sem contar mulheres e crianças.

22 Logo em seguida, Jesus insistiu com seus discípulos que voltassem ao barco e atravessassem até o outro lado do mar, enquanto ele despedia as multidões. 23 Depois de mandá-las para casa, Jesus subiu sozinho ao monte a fim de orar. Quando anoiteceu, ele ainda estava ali, sozinho.

24 Enquanto isso, os discípulos, distantes da terra firme, lutavam contra as ondas, pois um vento forte havia se levantado. 25 Por volta das três da madrugada, Jesus foi até eles, caminhando sobre as águas. 26 Quando os discípulos o viram caminhando sobre as águas, ficaram aterrorizados. "É um fantasma!", gritaram, cheios de medo.

27 Imediatamente, porém, Jesus lhes disse: "Não tenham medo! Coragem, sou eu!".

28 Então Pedro gritou: "Se é realmente o senhor, ordene que eu vá caminhando sobre as águas até onde está!".

29 "Venha!", respondeu Jesus.

Então Pedro desceu do barco e caminhou sobre as águas em direção a Jesus. 30 Mas, quando reparou no vento forte e nas ondas, ficou aterrorizado, começou a afundar e gritou: "Senhor, salva-me!".

31 No mesmo instante, Jesus estendeu a mão e o segurou. "Como é pequena a sua fé!", disse ele. "Por que você duvidou?"

32 Quando entraram no barco, o vento parou. 33 Então os outros discípulos o adoraram e exclamaram: "De fato, o senhor é o Filho de Deus!".

34 Depois de atravessarem o mar, chegaram a Genesaré. 35 Quando o povo reconheceu Jesus, a notícia de sua chegada se espalhou rapidamente por toda a região, e trouxeram os enfermos para que fossem curados. 36 Suplicavam que ele deixasse os enfermos apenas tocar na borda de seu manto, e todos que o tocavam eram curados.

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch, hearing about the fame of Jesus,

2 said to his servants, "This is John the Baptist! He has been raised from the dead, and that's why these miracles are at work in him."

3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him with chains, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife

4 For John had been telling him, "It is not lawful for you to have her."

5 Although Herod wanted to kill him, he was afraid of the crowd, since they regarded John as a prophet.

6 But when Herod's birthday celebration was held, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests. She pleased Herod

7 so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked for.

8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me, right here on a platter, the head of John the Baptist."

9 Though the king was saddened at this, because of his oaths and his guests he ordered it to be given.

10 So he sent word and had John beheaded in prison.

11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she took it to her mother.

12 When John's disciples came, they carried off the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

13 When Jesus heard this, he left that place and went by boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of it and followed him on foot from the towns.

14 When he got out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. He had compassion for them and healed their sick.

15 Now when evening came, the disciples went to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and it's already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves."

16 But Jesus said to them,"They don't need to go away. You give them something to eat."

17 They told him, "We don't have anything here except five loaves of bread and two fish."

18 He said,"Bring them here to me."

19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves in pieces and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

20 All of them ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up what was left of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.

21 Now those who had eaten were about 5,000 men, besides women and children.

22 Jesus immediately had the disciples get into a boat and cross to the other side ahead of him, while he sent the crowds away.

23 After dismissing the crowds, he went up on a hillside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

24 By this time the boat was in the middle of the sea and was being battered by the waves, for the wind was against them.

25 Shortly before dawn he came to them, walking on the sea.

26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, "It's a ghost!" And they screamed in terror.

27 Immediately Jesus said to them,"Have courage! It is I. Stop being afraid!"

28 Peter answered him, "Lord, if it's you, order me to come to you on the water."

29 Jesus said,"Come on!" So Peter got down out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came to Jesus.

30 But when he noticed the strong wind, he was frightened. As he began to sink, he shouted, "Lord, save me!"

31 At once Jesus reached out his hand, caught him, and said to him,"You who have so little faith, why did you doubt?"

32 As they got into the boat, the wind stopped blowing.

33 Then the men in the boat began to worship Jesus, saying, "You certainly are the Son of God!"

34 They crossed over and came ashore at Gennesaret.

35 When the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word throughout that region and brought him all who were sick.

36 They kept begging him to let them touch just the tassel of his garment, and all who touched it were completely healed.