The Rejection at Nazareth (Matthew 13:53–58; Luke 4:16–30)
2 UDB On the Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and taught the people. Many who were listening to him were amazed. They wondered where he gained all his wisdom and the power to perform miracles. 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 UDB Jesus said to them, "It is certainly true that people honor me and other prophets in other places, but not in our hometowns! Even our relatives and the people who live in our own houses do not honor us!" 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 UDB So, although he healed a few sick people there, he was not able to perform any other miracle. 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 UDB He was amazed by their unbelief, but he went through their villages and taught them. BSB BSB: And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.
The Ministry of the Twelve (Matthew 10:5–15; Luke 9:1–6)
7 UDB One day he called the twelve disciples together, and then he told them that he was going to send them out two by two to teach people in various towns. He gave them power to force evil spirits out from 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 UDB He also instructed them to wear sandals and to take along a walking stick when they were traveling. He told them not to take food, nor a bag in which to put supplies, nor any money for their journey. He also did not allow them to take an extra tunic. BSB BSB: He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts—
10 UDB He also instructed them, "After you enter a town, if someone invites you to stay in his house, go into his house. Eat and sleep in that same home until you leave that town. BSB BSB: And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.
11 UDB Wherever the people do not welcome you and wherever the people do not listen to you, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that place. By doing that, you will be testifying that they did not welcome you." 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 UDB So after the disciples went out to various towns, they were preaching that people should turn away from their sinful behavior. BSB BSB: So they set out and preached that the people should repent.
13 UDB They were also forcing many evil spirits out from people, and they were anointing many sick people with olive oil and healing them. BSB BSB: They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.
The Beheading of John (Matthew 14:1–12; Luke 9:7–9)
14 UDB Now King Herod Antipas heard about what Jesus was doing because many people were talking about it. Some people were saying about Jesus, "He must be John the Baptizer! He has risen from the dead! That is why he has God's power to perform these miracles!" 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 UDB Others were saying about Jesus, "He is the ancient prophet Elijah whom God promised to send back again." Others were saying about Jesus, "No, he is a different prophet, like one of the other prophets who lived 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 UDB Having heard what the people were saying, King Herod Antipas himself said, "The man performing those miracles must be John! I commanded my soldiers to cut off his head, but he has become alive again!" BSB BSB: But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”
17 UDB What had happened was this—some time before, Herod had taken and married Herodias, although she was the wife of his brother Philip. 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.
18 UDB After that, John kept telling Herod, "God's law does not permit you to marry the wife of your brother while he is still alive." Then, because Herodias urged him to put John in prison, Herod himself sent soldiers to John. They arrested John and put him in prison. BSB BSB: For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”
19 UDB But because Herodias wanted to get further revenge on John, she wanted someone to execute him. But she could not do that because while John was in prison, Herod kept John safe from her. BSB BSB: So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,
20 UDB Herod did this because he respected John, because he knew that he was a righteous man who devoted himself to God. Whenever Herod listened to him, he became very disturbed and did not know what he should do with him, but he liked to listen to him. BSB BSB: because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.
21 UDB But Herodias was eventually able to have someone execute John. One day when they honored Herod on his birthday, he invited the most important government officials, the most important army leaders, and the most important men in the district of Galilee to eat and celebrate 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 UDB While they were eating, Herodias's daughter came into the room and danced for the king and his guests. She pleased King Herod and his guests so much that he said to her, "Ask me for whatever you wish and I will give it to you!" 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 UDB He also said to her, "Whatever you ask, I will give it to you! I will give you up to half of what I own and rule, if you ask for it." BSB BSB: And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”
24 UDB The girl left the room and went to her mother. She told her what the king had said and asked her, "What should I ask for?" Her mother replied, "Ask the king to give you the head of John the Baptizer!" 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 UDB The girl quickly entered the room again. She went to the king and she said, "I want you to command someone to cut off the head of John the Baptizer and bring it to me at once on a platter!" 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 UDB The king became very distressed when he heard what she asked for, because he knew John was a very righteous man. But he could not refuse what she requested, because he had promised that he would give her anything she asked for, and his guests had heard him promise. BSB BSB: The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.
27 UDB So the king at once ordered someone to go and cut off John's head and bring it to the girl. That man went to the prison and cut off John's head. 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 UDB He put it on a platter, brought it back, and gave it to the girl. The girl took it to her mother. BSB BSB: The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.
29 UDB After John's disciples heard what happened, they went to the prison and took John's body; then they buried it. BSB BSB: When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand (Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15)
30 UDB The twelve apostles returned to Jesus from the places to which they had gone. They reported to him what they had done and what they had taught to people. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught.
31 UDB He said to them, "Come with me to a place where no people are living, in order that we can be alone and rest a little while!" He said this because many people were continually coming to them and going away again, with the result that Jesus and his disciples did not have time to eat or do anything else. 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 UDB So they went away by themselves in a boat to a place where no people were living. BSB BSB: So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place.
33 UDB But many people saw them leaving. They also recognized that they were Jesus and the disciples, and they saw where they were going. So they ran ahead on land from all the nearby towns to the place where Jesus and his disciples were going. They actually arrived there before Jesus and the disciples. 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 UDB As Jesus and his disciples got out of the boat, Jesus saw this great crowd. He felt compassion for them because they were confused, like sheep that do not have a shepherd. So he taught them 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 UDB Late in the afternoon the disciples came to him and said, "This is a place where no one lives, and it is very late. 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 UDB So send the people away in order that they may go to the surrounding places where people live and to villages so they can buy for themselves something to eat!" BSB BSB: Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37 UDB But he replied to them, "No, you yourselves give them something to eat!" They replied to him, "We could not buy enough bread to feed this crowd, even if we had as much money as a man earns by working 200 days! 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 UDB But he replied to them, "How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and find out!" They went and found out and then they told him, "We have only five flat loaves and two cooked fish!" BSB BSB: “Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
39 UDB He instructed the disciples to tell all the people to sit down on the green grass. BSB BSB: Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass.
40 UDB So the people sat in groups. There were fifty people in some groups and one hundred people in other groups. BSB BSB: So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
41 UDB Jesus took the five flat loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven and thanked God for them. Then he broke the loaves and fish into pieces and kept giving them to the disciples so that they would distribute them to the people. 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 UDB Everyone ate this food until they all had enough to eat! BSB BSB: They all ate and were satisfied,
43 UDB The disciples then collected twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and of the fish that were left over. BSB BSB: and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
44 UDB So many people ate the fish and bread; just the number of the men was five thousand. BSB BSB: And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.
Jesus Walks on Water (Matthew 14:22–33; John 6:16–21)
46 UDB After he said goodbye to the people, he went up into the hills to pray. BSB BSB: After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.
47 UDB When it was evening, the disciples' boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was by himself on the land. BSB BSB: When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land.
48 UDB He saw that the wind was blowing against them as they rowed. As a result, they were having great difficulty. He approached them early in the morning, when it was still dark, by walking on the water. He intended to walk by 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 UDB They saw him walking on the water, but they thought that he was a ghost. They screamed BSB BSB: but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost—
50 UDB because they all were terrified when they saw him. But he spoke to them. He said to them, "Be calm! Do not be afraid, because it is I!" BSB BSB: for they all saw Him and were terrified. But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
51 UDB He got into the boat and sat down with them and the wind stopped blowing. They were completely amazed about what he had done. BSB BSB: Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,
52 UDB Although they had seen Jesus multiply the bread and the fish, they did not understand how powerful he was, as they should have. BSB BSB: for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.
Jesus Heals at Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34–36)
53 UDB After they went further around the Sea of Galilee in a boat, they came to shore at Gennesaret. Then they fastened the boat there. BSB BSB: When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat.
54 UDB As soon as they got out of the boat, the people there recognized Jesus. BSB BSB: As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus
55 UDB So they ran throughout the whole district to tell others that Jesus was there. Then the people placed those who were sick on stretchers and carried them to any place where they heard people say that Jesus was. BSB BSB: and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.
56 UDB In whatever village, town, or place in the countryside where he went, they would bring to the marketplaces those who were sick. Then the sick people would beg Jesus to let them touch him or even the edge of his clothes so that Jesus might heal them. All those who touched him or his robe were healed. 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.