John the Baptizer Beheaded
Matthew 14At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” For when Herod had arrested John, he bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” Although Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they considered him a prophet. But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them. She pleased Herod so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he commanded it to be given, and he sent the command to behead John in the prison. His head was brought on a platter and given to the young woman, and then she brought it to her mother. His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
When Jesus heard about John, he withdrew from there by boat to a solitary place by himself. Hearing this, the crowds followed him on foot from the cities.
As he got out, he saw a large crowd, and he felt gut-wrenching sympathy for them and healed their sick. When evening arrived, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is desolate, and the hour is already late. You must send the crowds away so they can go into the villages and buy themselves some food.”
But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. Y’all must give them something to eat.”
They told him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
He said, “Y’all bring them here to me.” He directed the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed the food. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up twelve baskets full of leftover broken pieces. Those who ate were about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Water
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. After he had sent the crowds away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, battered by the waves, because the wind was against it. As the night was ending, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.+See Job 9:8 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them,, “Y’all take courage! It is I! Don’t be afraid, y’all.”
Peter answered him, saying, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come!”
Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the water to come to Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. Those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word into all the surrounding region and brought all who were sick to him. They begged him that they might just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.