2 ARST When it was the Jewish day of rest, he started to instruct the people there when they gathered in the Jewish meeting place. What they heard him say impressed the many people{ who were there}. They said{ to each other},“We do not know how this man is able to do what he does. We do not know how he is so wise and does such powerful things. BSB BSB: When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles?
4 ARST So, Jesus told them,“The only ones who do not respect people who speak for God are those from where they grew up, their clans, and their own families.” BSB BSB: Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
5 ARST Jesus could do very few powerful things in that place. He only touched a few people who were sick and cured them. BSB BSB: So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them.
6 ARST How little the people trusted him surprised Jesus. After that, Jesus traveled through the small towns in that area, and he instructed the people there. BSB BSB: And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.
7 ARST One day, Jesus told his 12 representatives to come to him.{ He told them that} he was going to have them travel around in groups of two. He authorized them{ to force} demons{ out of people}. BSB BSB: Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits.
8 ARST He told them to wear sandals and to bring a walking stick. However, he instructed them not to pack anything else to bring with them, including food, a traveler’ s bag, money, or an extra shirt. BSB BSB: He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—
10 ARST He also told them,“When someone welcomes you into their home, continue to stay there until you leave that area. BSB BSB: And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.
11 ARST Whenever people in a certain place do not welcome you or listen to you, you should leave{ that place}. As you are going, shake the dust from that place off your feet to warn them{ that God will punish them}.” BSB BSB: If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.”
12 ARST Then Jesus’ 12 representatives left{ to travel around}. They preached that people should stop doing what was wrong. BSB BSB: So they set out and preached that the people should repent.
13 ARST They forced demons out of many people. They put olive oil on many people who were sick. Then, they cured them. BSB BSB: They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.
14 ARST By this time, Jesus had become famous. So, King Herod Antipas{, the ruler over the region of Galilee,} heard{ people talking} about him. Some people declared,“God has made John the Baptizer alive again{ as Jesus}, and that is why he does these powerful things.” BSB BSB: Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15 ARST Other people declared,“He is the prophet Elijah{, who has returned to us}.” Other people declared,“He is a person who speaks for God, just like one of the people who spoke for God long ago.” BSB BSB: Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
16 ARST King Herod Antipas listened{ to those people}. Then he declared,“I had someone cut John the Baptizer’ s head off! However, God must have made him alive again{ as Jesus}.” BSB BSB: But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”
17 ARST { Herod said that because John had already died.} Here is how that happened: Herod married Herodias, who had previously been the wife of Herod’ s brother Philip. John the Baptizer told Herod,“Our law forbids you to marry Herodias, your sister- in- law.” So, Herod told his soldiers to go and arrest John. They tied him up and put him in jail. BSB BSB: For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.
19 ARST Herodias was so upset with John that she wanted to have someone execute him. However, Herod realized that God had set John apart and that John did what was right. So, Herod was afraid{ to do anything to John}. Also, he prevented Herodias from doing what she wanted{ to John}. Whenever Herod listened to John, he was not sure how to respond, but he enjoyed listening to him. BSB BSB: So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,
21 ARST Then, one day, Herodias realized that she might be able{ to have someone execute John}. It was Herod’ s birthday, and he had invited his important officials, some military commanders, and the most important people in the region of Galilee to feast with him. BSB BSB: On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
22 ARST { While they were feasting}, Herod’ s stepdaughter, the daughter of Herodias, came in. She danced for Herod and his guests, and they greatly enjoyed{ her dancing}. So, King Herod told her,“I will give you whatever you request!” BSB BSB: When the daughter of Herodias came 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.”
23 ARST Further, he solemnly promised,“You can even ask for half of what I rule over. I will still give you whatever you request!” BSB BSB: And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
24 ARST So, the young woman left{ that place and went to her mother, Herodias}. She asked her mother,“What should I request?” Her mother replied,“Request{ that someone cut off} John the Baptizer’ s head{ and give it to you}.” BSB BSB: Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?” And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”
25 ARST As soon as{ her mother said that,} the young woman hurried back to King Herod. She told him,“I want{ you to cut off} John the Baptizer’ s head right now and bring it to me on a plate!” BSB BSB: At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”
26 ARST King Herod was sad{ about what she asked for}. However, because he had solemnly promised in front of all his guests{ to give her what she asked for}, he decided to do what she requested. BSB BSB: The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.
27 ARST So, King Herod told a soldier to go to{ the jail} where John was{, cut off his head,} and bring his head back. The soldier left and cut off John’ s head while he was in jail. BSB BSB: So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison.
28 ARST Then, the soldier put John’ s head on a plate and gave it to the young woman. She{ left and} gave it to her mother{, Herodias}. BSB BSB: The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.
29 ARST When John’ s apprentices learned{ what had happened}, they went to the jail. They took John’ s dead body and buried it. BSB BSB: When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.
30 ARST As for Jesus’ representatives, they returned to Jesus{ from where they had traveled}. They told him about everything that they had done and everything that they had instructed people about. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught.
31 ARST Now people were arriving and leaving{ where they were} all the time. In fact, they did not even have enough time to eat food. So, Jesus told his representatives,“Come to a place where no one lives and where no one else will be with us. Then, you can rest some!” BSB BSB: And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
32 ARST So, they sailed in a boat to a place where no one lived and where no one else would be with them. BSB BSB: So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place.
33 ARST Now people noticed them sailing away. Many of those people realized{ that it was Jesus and his apprentices}. So, they left all their towns and ran to where{ Jesus and his apprentices were sailing}. They got there before Jesus and his apprentices did! BSB BSB: But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them.
34 ARST When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw a large group of people. He noticed that they were like sheep who did not have a sheepherder{ to lead them and to take care of them}. So, he pitied them and started to instruct them about many things. BSB BSB: When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
35 ARST When it was already late in the day, the apprentices approached Jesus. They said to him,“This is a place where no one lives, and it is already late in the day. BSB BSB: By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late.
36 ARST So, please tell these people to walk to the places that are near us, where they can buy food to eat.” BSB BSB: Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37 ARST Jesus replied,“I want you to provide them with food to eat!” They responded,“Surely you do not want us to go and spend 200 coins to buy enough loaves of bread to provide these people with food!” BSB BSB: But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?”
38 ARST Then Jesus asked his apprentices,“How many loaves of bread do you have? Find out!” Once they had found out{ how many they had}, they told Jesus,“We have five loaves of bread and two fish.” BSB BSB: “Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
39 ARST Then Jesus told all the people who were there to sit down in groups on the fresh grass{ that was growing on the ground}. BSB BSB: Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass.
40 ARST So, they sat down in groups. Some groups had 100 people, and some groups had 50 people. BSB BSB: So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
41 ARST He picked up the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Then he thanked God for the food. After that, he tore the bread into pieces and gave the pieces to his apprentices. That way, they could serve them to the people who were there. He similarly{ had his apprentices} serve the two fish to everyone{ who was there}. BSB BSB: Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.
42 ARST Everyone ate{ the bread and the fish}, and they all had enough to eat. BSB BSB: They all ate and were satisfied,
43 ARST Then the apprentices gathered what was left of the bread and fish. They filled 12 large containers{ with the leftovers}! BSB BSB: and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
44 ARST There were about 5, 000 men who ate the bread and fish. BSB BSB: And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.
46 ARST After he said goodbye to the people who were there, he walked to the top of a hill to pray{ to God}. BSB BSB: After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.
47 ARST When it became dark, the apprentices were in the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Meanwhile, Jesus was on the hill by himself. BSB BSB: When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land.
48 ARST Now the wind was blowing from where the apprentices wanted to go, so they were struggling to row{ the boat across the Sea of Galilee}. Jesus noticed that. So, soon before morning, he joined them. He was walking on top of the Sea of Galilee! He planned to walk right past them. BSB BSB: He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,
49 ARST When the apprentices saw Jesus walking on top of the Sea of Galilee, it disturbed them.{ They did not know that it was Jesus, so} they thought that he must be a dangerous spiritual being. So, they shouted loudly. However, as soon as{ they shouted loudly}, Jesus told them,“Do not worry! I am{ Jesus}. Stop being afraid!” BSB BSB: but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost—
51 ARST Then Jesus joined the apprentices in the boat. At that moment, the wind stopped blowing.{ When that happened,} it impressed them greatly. BSB BSB: Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,
52 ARST { They reacted that way} because they did not realize what it meant{ when Jesus fed the large group of people with} the loaves of bread. In fact, they stubbornly refused to understand it. BSB BSB: for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.
53 ARST After Jesus and his apprentices finished sailing across the Sea of Galilee, they landed on the shore in the region of Gennesaret. They tied the boat there. BSB BSB: When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat.
54 ARST As soon as they got out of the boat, people realized that Jesus was there. BSB BSB: As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus
55 ARST Those people hurried to all the places within that region. Whenever people{ in those places} learned that Jesus was in a specific place, they started to bring there on sleeping pads many other people who were sick. BSB BSB: and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.
56 ARST Jesus visited many villages, towns, and farms. Wherever he visited, people put those who were sick in the open areas. These people who were sick asked Jesus to allow them just to touch the hem of his robe. Everyone who did so became healthy. BSB BSB: And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.