New Testament in a Year
Chapter 14
John the Baptist, Herod, and Jesus.[a] 1 At that time Herod the tetrarch[b] heard reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist. He has risen from the dead. That is why such powers are at work in him.”
3 Now Herod had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and imprisoned him on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. 4 For John had told him, “It is against the law for you to have her.”
5 Herod wanted to put John to death, but he was afraid of the people because they regarded John as a prophet. 6 But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias[c] danced in front of the guests, and she pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her anything she asked for. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests present there, he ordered that her request be granted. 10 He had John beheaded in the prison.[d] 11 The head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and removed the body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
13 Jesus Feeds Five Thousand Men.[e]When Jesus received this news, he withdrew from there in a boat by himself to a deserted place, but when the people learned of it, they followed him on foot from the towns.[f] 14 When he came ashore and saw the vast crowd, he had compassion on them and healed those who were sick.
15 When evening approached, the disciples came up to him and said, “This is a deserted place and the hour is now late. Send the people away now so that they can go to the villages to buy some food for themselves.” 16 Jesus replied, “There is no need for them to depart. Give them something to eat yourselves.” 17 But they answered, “All we have here are five loaves of bread and two fish.” 18 Jesus said, “Bring them here to me.”
19 Then he ordered the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.[g] 20 They all ate and were satisfied. Then they gathered up the fragments that were left over—twelve full baskets. 21 Those who had eaten numbered about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.[h]
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