Matthew 14
1 During that time Herod [Antipas], the ruler, heard reports about Jesus [performing miracles].
At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus
2 He said to his servants: “That must be John the Baptizer. He must have risen from the dead, and that is why he has power to perform miracles.”
and said to his servants, “This man is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and that is why these mighty powers are at work in him.”
3 The reason [Herod thought that was this: Herod had married] Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, [while Philip was still living. So] John had been saying to him, “[What] you [did by] marrying [your brother’s wife while your brother is still alive is against God’s] law!” Then, to [please] Herodias, Herod [told his soldiers] to arrest John. They bound him with chains and put him in prison.
For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for yoʋ to have her.”
5 Herod wanted to have John executed, but he was afraid that the people [who had accepted what John taught would riot if he did that], because they believed that John was a prophet.
Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the crowd, because they regarded John as a prophet.
6 But when Herod [gave a party to celebrate] his birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for [his guests]. This pleased Herod.
But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before the guests and pleased Herod.
7 So he promised to give her whatever she asked, and he asked God to punish him if he did not do what he had promised.
So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
8 [So Herodias’ daughter went and asked her mother what to ask for]. Her mother told her to ask for John the Baptizer’s head. [So] her daughter [went back and] said [to Herod]: “[Cut off] the head of John the Baptizer and [please] bring it here on a platter [so that my mother can know for sure that he is dead!]”
Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
9 The king was distressed because he now knew he should not have made that promise to her. [But] because he had made an oath [in front of] his guests [when he made that promise], and [he did not want] them [to think that he would not do what he had promised], he commanded that [the girl] be given [what she requested].
The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he commanded it to be given
10 He sent [the executioner to go to] the prison and to cut off John’s head.
and sent orders to have John beheaded in prison.
11 [The executioner did that, and] put John’s head on a platter and gave it to the girl. Then the girl took it to her mother.
John's head was then brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
12 John’s disciples then went [to the prison], took John’s body and buried it, and they reported to Jesus [what had happened].
Later, John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and brought word to Jesus.
13 After Jesus heard that, he took [just us disciples] with him and we went by boat [on Galilee Lake to an uninhabited place]. Matthew 14:13-21 After the crowds heard [that we had gone to an uninhabited place], they [left their towns and] followed Jesus, walking along the shore.
When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But the crowds heard about it and followed him on foot from the towns.
14 When Jesus came [to the shore], he saw a large crowd of people [who had gathered there, waiting for him]. He felt sorry for them, and he healed those [among them who were] sick.
And when Jesus went ashore and saw a large crowd, he was moved with compassion for them and healed their sick.
15 When it was [nearly] evening, we disciples came to him and said, “This is a place where nobody lives, and it is very late. Dismiss the crowds so that they can go into the [nearby] towns. [Have them do that so that they can] buy food for themselves.”
As evening approached, his disciples came to him and said, “This place is desolate, and the hour is now late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16 But Jesus said to us, “They do not need to leave [to get food. Instead], you [yourselves] give them something to eat!”
But Jesus said to them, “They have no need to go away; you give them something to eat.”
17 We said to him, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two [cooked] fish here!”
They said to him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.”
18 He said [to us], “Bring them to me!”
He said, “Bring them here to me.”
19 He told the people [who had gathered there] to sit on the grass. Then he took the five flat loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven, thanked [God for them], and broke [them into pieces]. Then he gave them to us disciples, and we distributed them to the crowd.
Then he commanded the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said the blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
20 All [the people in the crowd] ate until they had enough to eat. Then we [disciples] gathered the pieces that were left over, [and we] filled twelve baskets with them.
They all ate and were filled, and the disciples picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full.
21 Those who ate were about 5,000 men. [We did] not [count the] women and children!
Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
22 Right after that happened, Jesus told us disciples to get in the boat and to go ahead of him further around [the lake] while he dismissed the crowds.
Immediately Jesus compelled the disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the sea, while he sent the crowds away.
23 After he dismissed them, he went up into the hills to pray by himself. When it was evening, he was [still] there alone.
After sending the crowds away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.
24 [By this time] we were already many hundred meters from the shore. The boat was being severely tossed around by the waves {The waves were severely tossing the boat} because the wind was [blowing] against [it].
Meanwhile, the boat was already in the middle of the sea, being tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them.
25 [Then Jesus came down from the hills to the lake]. Some time between three and six o’clock in the morning he walked on the water toward our [boat].
And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26 When we disciples saw someone walking on the water, we thought that [we must be seeing] a ghost. We were terrified, and we screamed out because we were afraid.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.
27 Immediately Jesus said to us, “Cheer up! It is I. Do not be afraid!”
But Jesus immediately said to them, “Take courage! It is I; do not be afraid.”
28 Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to walk on the water to you!”
In response Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is yoʋ, command me to come to yoʋ on the water.”
29 Then Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
So he said, “Come.” Then Peter got down from the boat and walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30 But when Peter looked at the [tossing waves which] the strong wind [caused], he became afraid. He began to sink, and cried out, “Lord, save me!”
But when he saw the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and grabbed him. He said to Peter, “You only trust a little bit [in my power] (Why did you doubt [that I could keep you from sinking]?/You should not have doubted [that I could keep you from sinking]!) [RHQ]”
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “O yoʋ of little faith, why did yoʋ doubt?”
32 Then Jesus and Peter got in the boat, and the wind [immediately] stopped blowing.
And when they had gotten into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 All [of us disciples] who were in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the (Son of/man two is also) God!”
Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “Truly yoʋ are the Son of God.”
34 When we had gone further around [the lake in the boat], we came ashore at Gennesaret [town].
When they had crossed the sea, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
35 The men of that area recognized Jesus. So they sent [people to inform those who lived] in that whole surrounding region [MTY] [that Jesus was in their area]. [So the people] brought to Jesus all the sick people [who lived in that region].
And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word into the entire surrounding region, and people brought to him all who were sick.
36 [The sick people] kept begging him to allow them to touch [him or] just to touch the edge of his robe [so that they would be healed]. And all who touched [him or his robe] were healed {he healed all who touched [him or his clothing]}.
They begged him to let the sick touch even the fringe of his garment, and all who touched it were completely healed.
