Old/New Testament

9 Jesus called his twelve disciples together. He gave them power over all the bad spirits, and power to heal sick people.

² He sent them out to tell people about the kingdom of God and to heal sick people.

³ He said, `Take nothing with you for your trip. Do not take a walking stick, or a bag, or food, or money. And do not take two shirts.

⁴ When you go into a certain house, stay there until you leave the town.

⁵ Some people might not take you in. When you leave that town, shake the dust off your feet. That will be a sign to them.'

⁶ The disciples left and went through the towns. They told the good news and healed people everywhere.

⁷ Herod the ruler heard about all that was happening. He did not know what to think. Some people said John the Baptizer had risen from death.

⁸ Some people said Elijah had come back. And other people said that one of the old prophets of God had risen from death.

⁹ Herod said, `I cut off John's head. Now who is this man of whom I hear such things?' He wanted to see Jesus.

¹⁰ When the apostles came back, they told Jesus all they had done. He took them away with him and they went by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.

¹¹ But the people found out and they followed him. He was glad to see them and talked to them about God's kingdom. He healed those who were sick.

¹² When it was late in the day, the twelve disciples came to him. They said, `Send the people away so they can go to the towns and the farms to sleep and get something to eat. This is a lonely place.'

¹³ But Jesus said to them, `You give them food to eat.' They said, `All we have is five loaves of bread and two fish. Shall we go and buy food for all these people?'

¹⁴ There were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples, `Tell the people to sit down in groups of fifty.'

¹⁵ They did what he said, and they made all the people sit down.

¹⁶ He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and thanked God for them. Then he broke the bread. He gave it to the disciples to give to the people.

¹⁷ They all ate and had enough. They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces that were left.