Matthew Fourteen

   AT that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus. And he said to his servants, This man is
John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead; this is why great miracles are wrought by him.

   ¶ For Herod had arrested John, and bound him, and put him in prison, because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had said to him, It is unlawful to have her as your wife. So Herod wanted to kill him, but he was afraid of the people, because they accepted him as a prophet. When Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests, and it pleased Herod. He therefore swore to her with oaths, that he would give her anything that she asked. And she, because she was instructed by her mother, said, Give me right here on a tray the head of John the Baptist. And the king was very sorry; but because of the oaths and the guests, he commanded that it be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. And his head was brought in on a tray, and given to the girl; and she took it to her mother. Then his disciples came and took up his body and buried it, and they came and informed Jesus.

   ¶ When Jesus heard it, he departed thence by boat, alone to a desert place; and when the people heard of it, they followed him by land from the cities. And Jesus went out and saw large crowds,
and he had pity for them, and healed their sick.

   ¶ When it was evening, his disciples came to him, and they said to him, This is a lonely place, and it is getting late; dismiss the people so that the men may go to the villages and buy food for themselves.
But he said to them, It is not necessary for them to go; you give them something to eat. They said to him, We have nothing here, except five loaves of bread and two fish. Jesus said to them, Bring them here to me. And he ordered the people to sit down on the ground, and he took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, and he looked up to heaven and he blessed them, and he broke them, and gave them to his disciples, and the disciples placed them before the people. So they all ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the fragments which were left over, twelve full baskets. And the men who ate were five thousand, not counting the women and children.

   ¶ And immediately he urged his disciples to go up into the boat, in advance of him to the crossing place, while he dismissed the people. And when he had dismissed the people, he went up to the mountain alone to pray; and when darkness fell he was still there alone. But the boat was many miles away from the land, tossed by the waves, for the wind was against it. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. And his disciples saw him walking on the water, and they were scared, and they said, It is a false vision; and they cried out because of their fear. But Jesus spoke to them at once and said, Have courage; it is I; do not be afraid. And Peter answered and said to him, My Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. Jesus said to him, Come. So Peter went down from the boat, and walked on the water, to come to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was severe, he was afraid, and began to sink, and he raised his voice and said, My Lord, save me. And our Lord immediately stretched out his hand and grasped him; and he said to him,
O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they went up into the boat, the wind quieted down. And they who were in the boat came and worshipped him; and they said, Truly you are the Son of God.

   ¶ And they rowed and came to the land of Gennesaret. And the men of that country recognized
him, and they sent word to all the villages around them; so they brought to him all who were seriously sick. And they besought him, that they might touch even the edge of his robe; and those
who touched it were healed.