Chronological
The Death of John the Baptist
14 At that time Herod the tetrarch[a] heard reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead! And because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him,[b] and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had repeatedly told[c] him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”[d] 5 Although[e] Herod[f] wanted to kill John,[g] he feared the crowd because they accepted John as a prophet. 6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, 7 so much that he promised[h] with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Instructed by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 Although it grieved the king,[i] because of his oath and the dinner guests he commanded it to be given. 10 So[j] he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His[k] head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 Then John’s[l] disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
13 Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat[m] to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it,[n] they followed him on foot from the towns.[o] 14 As he got out he saw the large crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 When evening arrived, his disciples came to him saying, “This is an isolated place[p] and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But he[q] replied, “They don’t need to go. You[r] give them something to eat.” 17 They[s] said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” 18 “Bring them here to me,” he replied. 19 Then[t] he instructed the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He gave them to the disciples,[u] who in turn gave them to the crowds.[v] 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, twelve baskets full. 21 Not counting women and children, there were about 5,000 men who ate.
Walking on Water
22 Immediately Jesus[w] made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dispersed the crowds. 23 And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 24 Meanwhile the boat, already far from land,[x] was taking a beating from the waves because the wind was against it. 25 As the night was ending,[y] Jesus came to them walking on the sea.[z] 26 When[aa] the disciples saw him walking on the water[ab] they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear. 27 But immediately Jesus[ac] spoke to them:[ad] “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 28 Peter[ae] said to him,[af] “Lord, if it is you, order me to come to you on the water.” 29 So he said, “Come.” Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind he became afraid. And starting to sink, he cried out,[ag] “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they went up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
34 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.[ah] 35 When the people[ai] there recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding area, and they brought all their sick to him. 36 They begged him if[aj] they could only touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Rejection at Nazareth
6 Now[a] Jesus left that place and came to his hometown,[b] and his disciples followed him. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue.[c] Many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did he get these ideas?[d] And what is this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these miracles that are done through his hands? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son[e] of Mary[f] and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren’t his sisters here with us?” And so they took offense at him. 4 Then[g] Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his own house.” 5 He was not able to do a miracle there, except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed because of their unbelief. Then[h] he went around among the villages and taught.
Sending Out the Twelve Apostles
7 Jesus[i] called the twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits.[j] 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff[k]—no bread, no bag,[l] no money in their belts— 9 and to put on sandals but not to wear two tunics.[m] 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there[n] until you leave the area. 11 If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off[o] your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So[p] they went out and preached that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them.
The Death of John the Baptist
14 Now[q] King Herod[r] heard this, for Jesus’[s] name had become known. Some[t] were saying, “John the baptizer[u] has been raised from the dead, and because of this, miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” Others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets from the past.” 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised!” 17 For Herod himself had sent men, arrested John, and bound him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because Herod[v] had married her. 18 For John had repeatedly told[w] Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”[x] 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But[y] she could not 20 because Herod stood in awe of[z] John and protected him, since he knew that John[aa] was a righteous and holy man. When Herod[ab] heard him, he was thoroughly baffled,[ac] and yet[ad] he liked to listen to John.[ae]
21 But[af] a suitable day[ag] came, when Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his court officials, military commanders, and leaders of Galilee. 22 When his daughter Herodias[ah] came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.” 23 He swore to her,[ai] “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”[aj] 24 So[ak] she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother said,[al] “The head of John the baptizer.”[am] 25 Immediately she hurried back to the king and made her request:[an] “I want the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.” 26 Although it grieved the king deeply,[ao] he did not want to reject her request because of his oath and his guests. 27 So[ap] the king sent an executioner at once to bring John’s[aq] head, and he went and beheaded John in prison. 28 He brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When John’s[ar] disciples heard this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
30 Then[as] the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while” (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat). 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat[at] to some remote place. 33 But many saw them leaving and recognized them, and they hurried on foot[au] from all the towns[av] and arrived there ahead of them.[aw] 34 As Jesus[ax] came ashore[ay] he saw the large crowd and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So[az] he taught them many things.
35 When it was already late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is an isolated place[ba] and it is already very late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” 37 But he answered them,[bb] “You[bc] give them something to eat.” And they said, “Should we go and buy bread for 200 silver coins[bd] and give it to them to eat?” 38 He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.” 39 Then he directed them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they reclined in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. He[be] gave them to his[bf] disciples to serve the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and they picked up the broken pieces and fish that were left over, twelve baskets full. 44 Now[bg] there were 5,000 men[bh] who ate the bread.[bi]
Walking on Water
45 Immediately Jesus[bj] made his disciples get into the boat[bk] and go on ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dispersed the crowd. 46 After saying goodbye to them, he went to the mountain to pray. 47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea and he was alone on the land. 48 He[bl] saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. As the night was ending,[bm] he came to them walking on the sea,[bn] for[bo] he wanted to pass by them.[bp] 49 When they saw him walking on the water[bq] they thought he was a ghost. They[br] cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them:[bs] “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 Then he went up with them into the boat, and the wind ceased. They were completely astonished, 52 because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Healing the Sick
53 After they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret[bt] and anchored there. 54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Jesus.[bu] 55 They ran through that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever he was rumored to be.[bv] 56 And wherever he would go—into villages, towns, or countryside—they would place the sick in the marketplaces,[bw] and would ask him if[bx] they could just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
The Sending of the Twelve Apostles
9 After[a] Jesus[b] called[c] the twelve[d] together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure[e] diseases, 2 and he sent[f] them out to proclaim[g] the kingdom of God[h] and to heal the sick.[i] 3 He[j] said to them, “Take nothing for your[k] journey—no staff,[l] no bag,[m] no bread, no money, and do not take an extra tunic.[n] 4 Whatever[o] house you enter, stay there[p] until you leave the area.[q] 5 Wherever[r] they do not receive you,[s] as you leave that town,[t] shake the dust off[u] your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 Then[v] they departed and went throughout[w] the villages, proclaiming the good news[x] and healing people everywhere.
Herod’s Confusion about Jesus
7 Now Herod[y] the tetrarch[z] heard about everything that was happening, and he was thoroughly perplexed,[aa] because some people were saying that John[ab] had been raised from the dead, 8 while others were saying that Elijah[ac] had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had risen.[ad] 9 Herod said, “I had John[ae] beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus.[af]
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
10 When[ag] the apostles returned,[ah] they told Jesus[ai] everything they had done. Then[aj] he took them with him and they withdrew privately to a town[ak] called Bethsaida.[al] 11 But when the crowds found out, they followed him. He[am] welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God,[an] and cured those who needed healing.[ao] 12 Now the day began to draw to a close,[ap] so[aq] the twelve came and said to Jesus,[ar] “Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging[as] and food, because we are in an isolated place.”[at] 13 But he said to them, “You[au] give them something to eat.” They[av] replied,[aw] “We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless[ax] we go[ay] and buy food[az] for all these people.” 14 (Now about 5,000 men[ba] were there.)[bb] Then[bc] he said to his disciples, “Have[bd] them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 So they did as Jesus directed,[be] and the people[bf] all sat down.
16 Then[bg] he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks[bh] and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over[bi] was picked up—twelve baskets of broken pieces.
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