1 LEAVING there, he came to his own native place accompanied by his disciples.

2 When the Sabbath came, he began teaching in the synagogue. Many who heard were astonished and said, "Where did he get this, and what is this wisdom with which he is gifted? How are such deeds of power done by his hands?

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" So they fell into mistake regarding him.

4 But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own native place and among his own kindred and in his own home."

5 There he was unable to do any work of power, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

6 Their lack of faith astonished him. He made a circuit through the villages, teaching.

7 Then he called together the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over impure spirits,

8 and instructed them not to take anything for their journey but just a stick; no bread, no bag, no coppers in their belts,

9 to be shod with sandals, and not to have two tunics.

10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place.

11 Wherever the people will not receive you or listen to you, when you leave shake off the dust that is under your feet as a testimony against them."

12 They went out and proclaimed that men should repent,

13 and they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many sick people and healed them.

14 The name of Jesus was so much talked about that King Herod heard of it. Some were saying, "John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these mighty works are done by him."

15 Others said, "It is Elijah," and others said, "It is a prophet like one of the old prophets."

16 But Herod, when he heard about him, said, "John, the man whom I beheaded, has risen again."

17 Herod himself had sent and arrested John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married.

18 For John had said to Herod, "It is not right for you to have your brother's wife."

19 Herodias hated him and wished to kill him, but was unable to do so,

20 because Herod reverenced John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When Herod heard John, he was much perplexed, and yet he was glad to listen to him.

21 But an opportunity came for Herodias when Herod, on his birthday, gave a feast to his high officials and military officers and the leading men of Galilee.

22 Then the daughter of Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and his guests. The King said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you will and I will give it to you."

23 He swore, "Whatever you ask I will give you, up to the half of my kingdom."

24 The girl went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" She replied, "The head of John the Baptizer."

25 The girl immediately hurried in and said to the King, "I choose to have you give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter."

26 This made the King very sorry, but on account of his oaths and his guests he was unwilling to refuse her.

27 So he immediately sent one of the guardsmen with orders to bring John's head. The soldier went and beheaded him in the prison

28 and brought the head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother.

29 When John's disciples heard about it, they came and took the body and laid it in a tomb.

30 The apostles gathered back to Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and all that they had taught.

31 He said to them, "Come away alone into some solitary place and rest a little." For there were many people coming and going, and they had no time even to eat.

32 So they put off in a boat for an uninhabited, solitary place.

33 But many saw them going and recognized them, and ran together by land from all the towns and got there before them.

34 When Jesus landed, he saw a great crowd, and he was filled with compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began and taught them many things.

35 By this time it was late in the day, and his disciples came to him and said, "This is an uninhabited place and the hour is already late.

36 Send them away so that they can go to the farms and villages around and buy themselves something to eat."

37 But Jesus answered, "Give them something to eat yourselves." They said, "Shall we go and buy two hundred shillings worth of bread and feed them?"

38 He asked, "How many loaves have you? Go and see." When they had ascertained they said, "Five, and there are two fishes."

39 Then he told them to have all the people recline in groups on the green grass.

40 They lay down in rows by hundreds and by fifties.

41 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looked up to heaven and blessed them, and broke them and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. The two fishes he also divided among all.

42 All ate and had abundance,

43 and they picked up twelve basketfuls of the broken pieces of the bread, besides portions of the fishes.

44 There were five thousand men who ate of the loaves.

45 Jesus immediately had his disciples get into the boat and cross before him to Bethsaida while he was dismissing the crowd.

46 After taking leave of them, he went away up the mountain to pray.

47 When evening had fallen, the boat was half across the lake and he was alone on the land.

48 He saw them distressed in rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking on the lake and he seemed to be going past them.

49 But when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought that it was a ghost and cried out.

50 For they all saw him and were frightened. But he immediately spoke to them and said, "Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."

51 Then he got into the boat with them and the wind dropped. They were in boundless amazement;

52 for they had not grasped the miracle of the loaves because their minds were dull.

53 When they had crossed to the land they came to Gennesaret and dropped anchor.

54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus

55 and hurried over all that region and brought in the sick on pallets wherever they heard that he was.

56 Whenever he went into villages or towns or among the farms they would lay the sick in the streets and beg him to let them touch at least the tassel of his cloak. And all who touched were healed.