English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

1Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown.

2And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?

2The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?”

3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

3Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

4And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”

4Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.”

5And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

5And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

6And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

6And he was amazed at their unbelief. Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Disciples Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.

7And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.

7And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority to cast out evil spirits.

8He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—

8He told them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no food, no traveler’s bag, no money.

9but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.

9He allowed them to wear sandals but not to take a change of clothes.

10And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.

10 “Wherever you go,” he said, “stay in the same house until you leave town.

11And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.”

11 But if any place refuses to welcome you or listen to you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”

12So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.

12So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.

13And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

13And they cast out many demons and healed many sick people, anointing them with olive oil. The Death of John the Baptist

14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus’ name had become known. Some said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

14Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying, “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.”

15But others said, “He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

15Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”

16But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”

16When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”

17For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.

17For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her.

18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

18John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.”

19And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not,

19So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless,

20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

20for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.

21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

21Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee.

22For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

22Then his daughter, also named Herodias, came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.”

23And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.”

23He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”

24And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

24She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!”

25And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

25So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!”

26And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.

26Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her.

27And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. He went and beheaded him in the prison

27So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison,

28and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

28brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother.

29When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

29When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb. Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

30The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.

30The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught.

31And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.

31Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

32And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.

32So they left by boat for a quiet place, where they could be alone.

33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.

33But many people recognized them and saw them leaving, and people from many towns ran ahead along the shore and got there ahead of them.

34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

34Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

35And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.

35Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.

36Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

36Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

37But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”

37But Jesus said, “You feed them.” “With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!”

38And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

38 “How much bread do you have?” he asked. “Go and find out.” They came back and reported, “We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”

39Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.

39Then Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

40So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.

40So they sat down in groups of fifty or a hundred.

41And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.

41Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share.

42And they all ate and were satisfied.

42They all ate as much as they wanted,

43And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

43and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftover bread and fish.

44And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

44A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed. Jesus Walks on Water

45Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.

45Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home.

46And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.

46After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

47And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.

47Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land.

48And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,

48He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them,

49but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,

49but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost.

50for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

50They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here! ”

51And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

51Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed,

52for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

52for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore.

53After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret. They brought the boat to shore

54And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him

54and climbed out. The people recognized Jesus at once,

55and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was.

55and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was.

56And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

56Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.