New Testament in a Year

The Twelve Disciples Sent Out

9 ^(A)And calling the twelve together, He gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. ² And He sent them out to ^(B)preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. ³ And He said to them, “^(C)Take nothing for your journey, ^(D)neither a staff, nor a ^[a]bag, nor bread, nor money; nor have two ^[b]tunics apiece. ⁴ And whatever house you enter, stay there ^[c]until you leave that city. ⁵ And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, ^(E)shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” ⁶ And departing, they were going ^[d]throughout the villages, ^(F)proclaiming the gospel and healing everywhere.

^7 (G)Now ^(H)Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that ^(I)John had risen from the dead, ⁸ and by some that ^(J)Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen again. ⁹ And Herod said, “I myself had John beheaded, but who is this man about whom I hear such things?” And ^(K)he kept trying to see Him.

^10 (L)And when the apostles returned, they recounted to Him all that they had done. ^(M)Taking them with Him, He slipped away by Himself to a city called ^(N)Bethsaida. ¹¹ But when the crowds became aware of this, they followed Him; and welcoming them, He began speaking to them about the kingdom of God and curing those who had need of healing.

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

¹² Now the day ^[e]was ending, and the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the crowd away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and obtain lodging and find provisions, for here we are in a desolate place.” ¹³ But He said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ (For there were about five thousand men.) And He said to His disciples, “Have them ^[f]sit down ^(O)in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ And they did so, and had them all ^[g]sit down. ¹⁶ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them. And He broke them and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷ And they all ate and were satisfied; and ^[h]the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve ^(P)baskets full.