1Jesus452 left that place and came into his own country, and his disciples followed him. 2When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Hearing him, many were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things?” and, “What is the wisdom that is given to him, [that] such powerful works come about by his hands? 3Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary,453 and brother of James, Joses, Judah, and Simon? Are not his sisters here with us?” And they rejected him.
4Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5He could not perform any miracles there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6He was astonished because of their unbelief.
The sending of the Twelve
He went around the villages, teaching. 7Calling to himself the Twelve, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8He told them to take nothing for their journey, except for a staff: no wallet, no bread, no money in their purse. 9He also told them to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. 10He said to them, “Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from the area. 11And whoever does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. <Amen, I can tell you that in the day of judgment, things will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city!”>454
12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They also cast out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were sick and healed them.
Herod and the death of John the Baptist
14King Herod heard this report, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead! This is why these powers are at work in him!” 15But others said, “He is Elias (Elijah).” Others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old]!” 16But when he heard this, Herod said, “This is John whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead!” 17For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested, and he had him chained in prison. This was for the sake of Herodias, the [former] wife of his brother Philip, for Herod had married her. 18John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” 19Herodias became furious against John and desired to kill him, but she could not 20because Herod feared John. He knew that John455 was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard John456 speak, he did many things,457 and liked to listen to him.
21An opportunity came when on his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his nobles, high officers, and for the leading figures of Galilee. 22When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced and pleased Herod and those sitting with him, the king said to the girl, “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you!” 23He swore to her, “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom!”
24She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?”
Herodias answered, “The head of John the Baptizer!”
25At once, the girl hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”
26The king was extremely sorry, but for the sake of his oaths and because of his dinner guests, he did not wish to deny her. 27Immediately, the king sent out a soldier of his guard and commanded that John’s458 head be brought. The soldier459 went off and beheaded John460 in the prison, 28and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl. And she gave it to her mother.
29When John’s461 disciples heard this, they came, took his body, and laid it in a tomb.
The report of the Twelve—The feeding of the five thousand
30The apostles came back together around Jesus and told him both what they had done and taught. 31Because there were many [people] coming and going, the apostles did not even have time to eat. Jesus then said to them, “You should go away into a deserted place and rest for a while.” 32They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33The multitudes saw them going away and many recognized Jesus. People rushed there on foot from all the [surrounding] cities and arrived before the disciples,462 and came together to him. 34Jesus came out, saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He then began to teach them many things. 35When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This place is deserted and it is late in the day! 36Send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy bread, for they have nothing to eat.”
37But Jesus answered them, “You give them something to eat!”
They asked him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii463 worth of bread, and give them something to eat?”
38Jesus replied, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
When they had found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”
39Jesus gave them instructions that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass, 40and people sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He then gave it to the disciples to set before the people, and he distributed the two fish among them all. 42Everyone ate and was satisfied, 43and the disciples collected twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the [leftover] fish. 44Those who ate the loaves numbered 464five thousand men.
45At once, Jesus465 made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. 46After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray.
The walking on the water—At Gennesaret
47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea while Jesus466 was alone on the shore. 48Then he saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night, he came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. 49But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost and cried out. 50They all saw him and were troubled, but immediately, Jesus spoke with them and said, “Take courage! It is I!467 Do not be afraid!” 51He got into the boat with them and the wind ceased. They were utterly astonished beyond measure and marveled greatly 52because they had not understood about the [miracle of the] loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
53After crossing over, they came to the land at Gennesaret and moored the boat to the shore. 54When they came out of the boat, the people immediately recognized Jesus.468 55They swarmed that whole surrounding region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard that he was. 56Wherever he entered, into villages, cities, or country, people laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him to be able to touch just the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched him were made well.
Traditions that nullify the word of God
- Greek “he”
- See Appendix E
- CT omits this sentence
- Greek “he”
- Greek “him”
- CT reads “was greatly perplexed” instead of “did many things”
- Greek “his”
- Greek “He”
- Greek “him”
- Greek “his”
- Greek “them”
- 200 denarii was about 7 or 8 months wages for an agricultural laborer.
- TR adds “about” before “five thousand”
- Greek “he”
- Greek “he”
- Or “I AM!”
- Greek “him”
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
