A Prophet Without Honor^(A)

6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown,^(B) accompanied by his disciples. ² When the Sabbath came,^(C) he began to teach in the synagogue,^(D) and many who heard him were amazed.^(E)

“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? ³ Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,^[a] Judas and Simon?^(F) Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.^(G)

⁴ Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”^{(H) 5} He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on^(I) a few sick people and heal them. ⁶ He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^(J)

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.^{(K) 7} Calling the Twelve to him,^(L) he began to send them out two by two^(M) and gave them authority over impure spirits.^(N)

⁸ These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. ⁹ Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. ¹⁰ Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. ¹¹ And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet^(O) as a testimony against them.”

¹² They went out and preached that people should repent.^{(P) 13} They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil^(Q) and healed them.

John the Baptist Beheaded^(R)(S)

¹⁴ King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,^[b] “John the Baptist^(T) has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

¹⁵ Others said, “He is Elijah.”^(U)

And still others claimed, “He is a prophet,^(V) like one of the prophets of long ago.”^(W)

¹⁶ But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison.^(X) He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”^{(Y) 19} So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, ²⁰ because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man.^(Z) When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled^[c]; yet he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet^(AA) for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.^{(AB) 22} When the daughter of^[d] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”^(AC)

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(AD)(AE)

³⁰ The apostles^(AF) gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.^{(AG) 31} Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat,^(AH) he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”

³² So they went away by themselves in a boat^(AI) to a solitary place. ³³ But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.^(AJ) So he began teaching them many things.

³⁵ By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. ³⁶ Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

³⁷ But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”^(AK)

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages^[e]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

³⁸ “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”^(AL)

³⁹ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.^(AM) Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² They all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³ and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴ The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(AN)(AO)

⁴⁵ Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat^(AP) and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida,^(AQ) while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.^(AR)

⁴⁷ Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.^(AS) They cried out, ⁵⁰ because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^{(AT) 51} Then he climbed into the boat^(AU) with them, and the wind died down.^(AV) They were completely amazed, ⁵² for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.^(AW)

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.^{(AX) 54} As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak,^(AY) and all who touched it were healed.

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu^(A) took their censers,^(B) put fire in them^(C) and added incense;^(D) and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,^(E) contrary to his command.^{(F) 2} So fire came out^(G) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,^(H) and they died before the Lord.^{(I) 3} Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

Aaron remained silent.

⁴ Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,^(M) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,^(N) and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,^(O) away from the front of the sanctuary.^(P)” ⁵ So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,^(Q) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,^(R) “Do not let your hair become unkempt^[a](S) and do not tear your clothes,^(T) or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.^(U) But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn^(V) for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. ⁷ Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting^(W) or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil^(X) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

⁸ Then the Lord said to Aaron, ⁹ “You and your sons are not to drink wine^(Y) or other fermented drink^(Z) whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance^(AA) for the generations to come, ¹⁰ so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,^{(AB) 11} and so you can teach^(AC) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.^(AD)”

¹² Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering^(AE) left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar,^(AF) for it is most holy. ¹³ Eat it in the sanctuary area,^(AG) because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.^{(AH) 14} But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast^(AI) that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;^(AJ) they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings. ¹⁵ The thigh^(AK) that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering.^(AL) This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

¹⁶ When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering^[b](AM) and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, ¹⁷ “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering^(AN) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt^(AO) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. ¹⁸ Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,^(AP) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.^(AQ)”

¹⁹ Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering^(AR) before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” ²⁰ When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Clean and Unclean Food^(AS)

11 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:^{(AT) 3} You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

⁴ “‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them.^(AU) The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. ⁵ The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. ⁶ The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. ⁷ And the pig,^(AV) though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. ⁸ You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.^(AW)

⁹ “‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. ¹⁰ But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean.^{(AX) 11} And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean.^{(AY) 12} Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.^(AZ)

¹³ “‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle,^[c] the vulture, the black vulture, ¹⁴ the red kite, any kind^(BA) of black kite, ¹⁵ any kind of raven,^{(BB) 16} the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, ¹⁷ the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, ¹⁸ the white owl,^(BC) the desert owl, the osprey, ¹⁹ the stork,^(BD) any kind^(BE) of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.^(BF)

²⁰ “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you.^{(BG) 21} There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. ²² Of these you may eat any kind of locust,^(BH) katydid, cricket or grasshopper. ²³ But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.

²⁴ “‘You will make yourselves unclean by these;^(BI) whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.^{(BJ) 25} Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes,^(BK) and they will be unclean till evening.^(BL)

²⁶ “‘Every animal that does not have a divided hoof or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them will be unclean. ²⁷ Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. ²⁸ Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.^(BM) These animals are unclean for you.

²⁹ “‘Of the animals that move along the ground, these are unclean for you:^(BN) the weasel, the rat,^(BO) any kind of great lizard, ³⁰ the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon. ³¹ Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening. ³² When one of them dies and falls on something, that article, whatever its use, will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth.^(BP) Put it in water; it will be unclean till evening, and then it will be clean. ³³ If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot.^{(BQ) 34} Any food you are allowed to eat that has come into contact with water from any such pot is unclean, and any liquid that is drunk from such a pot is unclean. ³⁵ Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean. ³⁶ A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean. ³⁷ If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean. ³⁸ But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

³⁹ “‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies,^(BR) anyone who touches its carcass^(BS) will be unclean till evening. ⁴⁰ Anyone who eats some of its carcass^(BT) must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.^(BU) Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

⁴¹ “‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten. ⁴² You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean. ⁴³ Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures.^(BV) Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. ⁴⁴ I am the Lord your God;^(BW) consecrate yourselves^(BX) and be holy,^(BY) because I am holy.^(BZ) Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.^{(CA) 45} I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt^(CB) to be your God;^(CC) therefore be holy, because I am holy.^(CD)

⁴⁶ “‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. ⁴⁷ You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.^(CE)’”

Purification After Childbirth

12 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period.^{(CF) 3} On the eighth day^(CG) the boy is to be circumcised.^{(CH) 4} Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. ⁵ If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

⁶ “‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over,^(CI) she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb^(CJ) for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.^{[d](CK) 7} He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.

“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. ⁸ But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons,^(CL) one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering.^(CM) In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.^(CN)’”