Nineveh Repents

3 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ² “Arise, go to ^(A)Nineveh, the great city, and ^(B)proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you.” ³ So Jonah got up and went to Nineveh according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was ^[a]an ^(C)exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk. ⁴ Then Jonah began to go through the city one day’s walk; and he ^(D)cried out and said, “Forty more days, and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

⁵ Then the people of Nineveh believed in God; and they called a ^(E)fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. ⁶ When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he got up from his throne, removed his robe from himself, ^(F)covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the ^[b]dust. ⁷ And he issued a ^(G)proclamation, and it said, “In Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles: No person, animal, herd, or flock is to taste anything. They are not to eat, or drink water. ⁸ But every person and animal must be covered with sackcloth; and people are to ^(H)call on God vehemently, and they are to ^(I)turn, each one from his evil way, and from the violence which is in their hands. ^9 (J)Who knows, God may turn and relent, and turn from His burning anger so that we will not perish.”

¹⁰ When God saw their deeds, that they ^(K)turned from their evil way, then ^(L)God relented of the disaster which He had declared He would ^[c]bring on them. So He did not do it.

Teaching at Nazareth

6 ^(A)Jesus went out from there and *came into ^[a](B)His hometown; and His disciples *followed Him. ² And when the Sabbath came, He began ^(C)to teach in the synagogue; and ^[b]the ^(D)many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man learn these things, and what is this wisdom that has been given to Him, and such ^[c]miracles as these performed by His hands? ³ Is this not ^(E)the carpenter, ^(F)the son of Mary and brother of ^[d]James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are ^(G)His sisters not here with us?” And they took ^(H)offense at Him. ⁴ Jesus said to them, “^(I)A prophet is not dishonored except in ^[e](J)his hometown and among his own relatives, and in his own household.” ⁵ And He could not do any ^[f]miracle there except that He ^(K)laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He was amazed at their unbelief.

^(L)And He was going around the villages, teaching.

The Twelve Sent Out

^7 (M)And ^(N)He *summoned the twelve and began to send them out ^(O)in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; ^8 (P)and He instructed them that they were to take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no ^[g]bag, no money in their belt— ⁹ but ^[h]to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not wear two ^[i]tunics.” ¹⁰ And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you ^[j]leave town. ¹¹ Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, ^(Q)shake the dust ^[k]off the soles of your feet as a testimony against them.” ^12 (R)And they went out and ^[l]preached that people are to repent. ¹³ And they were casting out many demons and ^(S)were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

John’s Fate Recalled

^14 (T)And King Herod heard about it, for His name had become well known; and people were saying, “^(U)John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in Him.” ¹⁵ But others were saying, “He is ^(V)Elijah.” And others were saying, “He is ^(W)a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” ¹⁶ But when Herod heard about it, he kept saying, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent men and had John arrested and bound in prison on account of ^(X)Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because he had married her. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “^(Y)It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ And ^(Z)Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death, and could not do so; ²⁰ for ^(AA)Herod was afraid of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he had been protecting him. And when he heard him, he was very perplexed; and yet he ^[m]used to enjoy listening to him. ²¹ An opportune day came when Herod, on his birthday, ^(AB)held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders, and the leading people ^(AC)of Galilee; ²² and when the daughter of ^(AD)Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and ^[n]his dinner guests; and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give it to you, up to ^(AE)half of my kingdom.” ²⁴ And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” ²⁵ Immediately she came in a hurry to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” ²⁶ And although the king was very sorry, because of his oaths and ^[o]his dinner guests, he was unwilling to refuse her. ²⁷ Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded him to bring back his head. And he went and beheaded him in the prison, ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard about this, they came and carried away his body, and laid it in a tomb.

^30 (AF)The ^(AG)apostles *gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. ³¹ And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a little while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and ^(AH)they did not even have time to eat.)