John the Baptist Beheaded^(A)

14 At that time Herod^(B) the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,^{(C) 2} and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist;^(D) he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”

³ Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison^(E) because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{(F) 4} for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”^{(G) 5} Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.^(H)

⁶ On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ⁹ The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted ¹⁰ and had John beheaded^(I) in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it.^(J) Then they went and told Jesus.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(K)(L)

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them^(M) and healed their sick.^(N)

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves^(O) of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.^(P) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(Q)(R)

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.^(S) Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”^(T) they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!^(U) It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^(V)

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”^(W) he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”^(X)

³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak,^(Y) and all who touched it were healed.

The Demand for a Sign^(A)

16 The Pharisees and Sadducees^(B) came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.^(C)

² He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ ³ and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.^{[a](D) 4} A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.”^(E) Jesus then left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”^(F)

⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”

⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith,^(G) why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^{(H) 10} Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?^{(I) 11} How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.^(J)

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(K)

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(L) others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”^(M)

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”^(N)

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,^(O) but by my Father in heaven.^{(P) 18} And I tell you that you are Peter,^[b](Q) and on this rock I will build my church,^(R) and the gates of Hades^[c] will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys^(S) of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be^[d] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be^[e] loosed in heaven.”^{(T) 20} Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone^(U) that he was the Messiah.

Jesus Predicts His Death^(V)

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem^(W) and suffer many things^(X) at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(Y) and that he must be killed^(Z) and on the third day^(AA) be raised to life.^(AB)

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!^(AC) You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(AD) 25} For whoever wants to save their life^[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.^{(AE) 26} What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man^(AF) is going to come^(AG) in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.^(AH)

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”