1He left that place and came to his own home town. His disciples followed him.
2When the sabbath day came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were amazed. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?"
3"Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and Juda, and Simon? And are his sisters not here with us?" So they were offended at him.
4But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is honoured everywhere except in his own home town, among his own relatives, and in his own house."
5He could do no mighty work there. He only laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
6He was amazed at their unbelief. And he went round the villages, teaching.
7He called the twelve to him and began to send them out two by two. He gave them power over unclean spirits.
8He told them to take nothing for the journey except a staff. No bag, no bread, no money in their belts.
9They were to wear sandals, and not to put on two coats.
10He said to them, "Whatever house you go into, stay there until you leave that place."
11"If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, then when you leave, shake off the dust under your feet as a witness against them. I tell you the truth, it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrha on the day of judgment than for that city."
12So they went out and preached that people should repent.
13They drove out many devils, and put oil on many who were sick, and healed them.
14King Herod heard about him, for his name was known everywhere. Herod said, "John the Baptist has risen from the dead. That is why these mighty works are done by him."
15Others said, "It is Elias." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets."
17For Herod himself had sent men to seize John, and had bound him in prison. He did this because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for Herod had married her.
19So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not,
20because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that John was a just and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he did many things, and he listened to him gladly.
21Then the right day came. On his birthday Herod made a supper for his lords, his high captains, and the leading men of Galilee.
22The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and she pleased Herod and those who sat with him. The king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you."
23He swore to her, "Whatever you ask me for, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."
24She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for?" Her mother said, "The head of John the Baptist."
25She hurried straight in to the king and asked him, "I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a dish."
26The king was very sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of those who sat with him, he would not refuse her.
27At once the king sent an executioner and ordered John's head to be brought. The man went and beheaded him in the prison.
28He brought his head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took his body away and laid it in a tomb.
30The apostles gathered together to Jesus. They told him everything they had done and everything they had taught.
31He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a quiet place, and rest a while." For there were many people coming and going, and they had no time even to eat.
32So they went away privately by boat to a quiet place.
33But the people saw them going. Many knew him, and they ran there on foot out of all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him.
34When Jesus came out, he saw a great crowd. He was filled with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things.
35When the day was almost over, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and it is now very late."
36"Send them away, so they can go to the farms and villages round about and buy themselves bread. They have nothing to eat."
37He answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread and give it to them to eat?"
38He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." When they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fishes."
39Then he told them to make all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.
40So they sat down in rows, in hundreds and in fifties.
41He took the five loaves and the two fishes. He looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He divided the two fishes among them all.
42They all ate and were full.
43And they picked up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces and of the fishes.
44Those who ate of the loaves were about five thousand men.
45At once he made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he sent the people away.
46When he had sent them away, he went up a mountain to pray.
47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
48He saw them struggling to row, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them.
49But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a spirit, and they cried out.
50For they all saw him and were frightened. At once he spoke with them and said to them, "Take heart. It is I. Do not be afraid."
51Then he went up to them into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were amazed beyond all measure, and they wondered.
52For they had not understood about the loaves. Their heart was hardened.
53When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and pulled in to the shore.
54As soon as they came out of the boat, the people knew him.
55They ran through that whole region. They began to carry the sick on beds to wherever they heard he was.
56Wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the streets. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his clothes. And all who touched him were made well.