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Jesus and his disciples left the city of Capernaum and went to the the town of his birth, Nazareth. 2 On the Jewish day of rest, Jesus entered the Jewish meeting place and taught the people. Many who were listening to him were amazed. They wondered where he gained all his wisdom and the power to perform miracles. 3 They said, “He is just an ordinary carpenter! We know him and his family! We know Mary his mother! We know his younger brothers James, Joses, Judas and Simon! And his younger sisters also live here with us!” So they were troubled by his teachings. 4 Jesus said to the people, “It is certainly true people honor prophets in other places, but not in their hometowns! Even their relatives and the people who live in their own houses do not honor them!”5 So, although he healed a few sick people there by placing his hands on them, he was not able to perform any other miracle. 6 He was amazed that so few of the people believed in him. Jesus and his disciples continued going through their villages and teaching them.
7 One day, Jesus summoned the twelve disciples together. He then told them that he was going to send them out two by two to teach people in various towns. He also gave them power to force evil spirits out of the people who they controlled. 8-9 He also instructed them to only wear sandals and to take along a walking stick when they were traveling. He told them not to take food, nor a bag in which to put supplies, nor any money for their journey. He also did not allow them to take an extra tunic. 10 He also instructed the twelve disciples, “If someone invites you to stay in his house, live in their house until you leave that town. 11 Wherever the people do not welcome you and wherever the people do not listen to you, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that place. By doing this, you will testify that they {did not welcome you or your message}.” 12 So after the disciples went out to various towns, they were preaching in order that people might repent {of their sins}. 13 They were also forcing many evil spirits out from people, and they were anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them.
14 Now King Herod Antipas heard about what Jesus was doing, because many people were talking about him. Some people were saying about Jesus, “He must be John the Baptizer! He has risen from the dead! That is why he has the power to perform these miracles!” 15 Others were saying about Jesus, “He is the ancient prophet Elijah, whom God promised to send back again.” Others were saying about Jesus, “No, he is a different prophet, like one of the other prophets who lived long ago.” 16 After hearing what the people were saying, King Herod Antipas himself said, “The man performing those miracles must be John the Baptizer! I commanded my soldiers to cut off his head, but he is alive again!” 17 For previously, King Herod had arrested John and thrown him in prison. He did this because Herod married his brother Philip's wife, Herodias. 18 Herod put John in prison because he was saying to Herod, “God's law does not allow you to marry the wife of your brother.” 19 Herodias was angry at John because he was saying this, so she desired to kill him. She was not able to kill him because he was in prison. 20 Herod respected John the Baptizer, for he knew that John was a righteous and holy man. Because of this, he kept him safe in prison from Herodias. Herod, after listening to him, would often become confused, but desired to keep listening to him. 21 A timely day came to have someone execute John when they honored King Herod on his birthday. Herod invited the most important government officials, the most important army leaders, and the most important people in the district of Galilee to eat and celebrate with him. 22 During the celebration, Herodias’ daughter came into the room and danced for the king and his guests. She pleased King Herod and his guests so much that he said to her, “Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give it to you!” 23 He also promised to her, “Ask for whatever you would like! For I am willing to give to you as much as half of my kingdom.“ 24 After this, the daughter went to Herodias and told her what Herod said. Then she asked her, “What should I ask for?” Her mother replied, “Ask the king to give you the head of John the Baptizer!” 25 The girl quickly reentered the room and went to the king. Then, she made her request, saying, “I want you to command someone to cut off the head of John the Baptizer and bring it to me at once on a platter!” 26 The king became very distressed when he heard what she asked for. But he could not refuse what she requested because he had promised that he would give her anything she asked for, and his guests had heard him make this promise. 27 So King Herod at once ordered someone to go and cut off John’s head and bring it to the girl. Then, that man went to the prison and cut off John’s head. 28 He put the head on a platter and gave it to the girl {as she requested}. The girl took it to her mother, Herodias. 29 After John’s disciples heard what happened to John, they went to the prison and took John’s body and buried it in a tomb.
30 Those whom Jesus chose to represent him returned to Jesus from the places where he had sent them. They reported to him what they had done and what they had taught to people. 31 He said to them, “Come with me to a place where there are no people, in order that we can be alone and rest a little while!” {He said this} because many people were coming to them and going away again, with the result that Jesus and his disciples did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a place where no people were living. 33 Many people saw them leaving to go rest. Because they could see where they were going, many people from the cities ran ahead of them and got there first. 34 As Jesus and his disciples got out of the boat, Jesus saw this great crowd. He felt compassion for them because they needed guidance, like sheep without a shepherd. So he taught them many things.
35 Late in the afternoon the disciples came to him and said, “This is a place where no one lives, and it is very late in the day. 36 So send the people away in order that they may go to the surrounding towns in order that they can buy for food themselves!” 37 But Jesus replied to them, “No, you yourselves give them something to eat!” They replied to him, “How will we go out and spend 200 denarii on bread to give to them to eat? {We do not have enough money to do this!} 38 But Jesus replied to the disciples, “How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and find out!” They went {to where they carried their food} and found out and then they told him, “We have only five flat loaves and two cooked fish!” 39 Jesus instructed the disciples to tell all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So the people sat in groups. There were fifty people in some groups and one hundred people in other groups. 41 Jesus took the five flat loaves and the two fish {from the disciples}. He looked up toward heaven and thanked God for them. Then he broke the loaves and fish into pieces and was handing them out to his disciples in order that they would distribute them to the people. Jesus also divided up the two fish among all of the people there. 42 Everyone ate the bread and fish until they all had enough to eat! 43 After everyone was done eating, the disciples {walked around and} collected twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and of the fish that were left over. 44 There were about five thousand men who ate the bread and fish. They did not even count the women and children.
45 Right away Jesus told his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the town across the Sea of Galilee called Bethsaida. Meanwhile, he stayed and told the crowd to return to their homes. 46 After the people had left, Jesus went up into the hills in order to pray. 47 When it was evening, the boat which the disciples were on was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was by himself on the land. 48 Jesus saw that the disciples were struggling to row against an opposing wind. It was early in the morning, and Jesus came to them, walking upon the sea. He was desiring to pass by them. 49 The disciples saw him walking on the water, but they thought that he was a ghost. {This terrified them, so} they cried out in fear. 50 For they all saw Jesus walking on the water, and this terrified them. But right away, Jesus spoke with them, saying “Be calm! Do not be afraid, for it is me! 51 He got into the boat and sat down with them, and the strong wind stopped blowing. The disciples in the boat were completely amazed about what he had done. 52 Although they had seen Jesus multiply the bread and the fish, they did not understand why he did it. This is because God did not allow them to understand.
53 After they crossed the sea of Galilee in their boat, they came to shore at the town of Gennesaret. Then they tied up the boat there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people there recognized Jesus. 55 So the people ran throughout the whole region in order to tell others that Jesus was there. Then the people placed those who were sick on sleeping pads and carried them to wherever they heard that Jesus was. 56 In whatever village, town or place in the countryside where he went, they would bring to the marketplaces those who were sick. Then the sick people would beg Jesus to let them touch even the edge of his clothes in order that Jesus might heal them. All those who touched his robe were healed.