Matthew 14:1-19 ▼

1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus,

2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Immerser, he rose from the dead, and because of this the mighty energies are working in him.”

3 For Herod having laid hold on John, bound him, and put him in prison, because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,

4 for John was saying to him, “It is not lawful to you to have her,”

5 and willing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because as a prophet they were holding him.

6 But the birthday of Herod being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod,

7 after which with an oath he professed to give her whatever she might ask.

8 And she, having been instigated by her mother, says, “Give me here on a plate the head of John the Immerser”;

9 and the king was grieved, but because of the oaths and of those dining with him, he commanded [it] to be given;

10 and having sent, he beheaded John in the prison,

11 and his head was brought on a plate, and was given to the girl, and she brought [it] near to her mother.

12 And his disciples having come, took up the body, and buried it, and having come, they told Jesus,

13 and Jesus having heard, withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by Himself, and the multitudes having heard followed Him on land from the cities.

14 And Jesus having come forth, saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion on them, and healed their sick;

15 and evening having come, His disciples came to Him, saying, “The place is desolate, and the hour has now past, let away the multitudes that, having gone into the villages, they may buy food for themselves.”

16 And Jesus said to them, “They have no need to go away—you give them to eat.”

17 And they say to Him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fishes.”

18 And He said, “Bring them to Me here.”

19 And having commanded the multitudes to recline on the grass, and having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the sky, He blessed, and having broken, He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples [gave] to the multitudes,