Matthew 14
1 At that time did Herod the tetrarch hear the fame of Jesus,
During that time Herod [Antipas], the ruler, heard reports about Jesus [performing miracles].
2 and said to his servants, 'This is John the Baptist, he did rise from the dead, and because of this the mighty energies are working in him.'
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.”
3 For Herod having laid hold on John, did bind him, and did put him in prison, because of Herodias his brother Philip's wife,
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.
4 for John was saying to him, 'It is not lawful to thee to have her,'
5 and, willing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because as a prophet they were holding him.
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.
6 But the birthday of Herod being kept, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and did please Herod,
But when Herod [gave a party to celebrate] his birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for [his guests]. This pleased Herod.
7 whereupon with an oath he professed to give her whatever she might ask.
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.
8 And she having been instigated by her mother — 'Give me (says she) here upon a plate the head of John the Baptist;
[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!]”
9 and the king was grieved, but because of the oaths and of those reclining with him, he commanded [it] to be given;
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].
10 and having sent, he beheaded John in the prison,
He sent [the executioner to go to] the prison and to cut off John’s head.
11 and his head was brought upon a plate, and was given to the damsel, and she brought [it] nigh to her mother.
[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.
12 And his disciples having come, took up the body, and buried it, and having come, they told Jesus,
John’s disciples then went [to the prison], took John’s body and buried it, and they reported to Jesus [what had happened].
13 and Jesus having heard, withdrew thence in a boat to a desolate place by himself, and the multitudes having heard did follow him on land from the cities.
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.
14 And Jesus having come forth, saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion upon them, and did heal their infirm;
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.
15 and evening having come, his disciples came to him, saying, 'The place is desolate, and the hour hath now past, let away the multitudes that, having gone to the villages, they may buy to themselves food.'
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.”
16 And Jesus said to them, 'They have no need to go away — give ye them to eat.'
But Jesus said to us, “They do not need to leave [to get food. Instead], you [yourselves] give them something to eat!”
17 And they say to him, 'We have not here except five loaves, and two fishes.'
We said to him, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two [cooked] fish here!”
18 And he said, 'Bring ye them to me hither.'
He said [to us], “Bring them to me!”
19 And having commanded the multitudes to recline upon the grass, and having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he did bless, and having broken, he gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes,
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.
20 and they did all eat, and were filled, and they took up what was over of the broken pieces twelve hand-baskets full;
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.
21 and those eating were about five thousand men, apart from women and children.
Those who ate were about 5,000 men. [We did] not [count the] women and children!
22 And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to go into the boat, and to go before him to the other side, till he might let away the multitudes;
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.
23 and having let away the multitudes, he went up to the mountain by himself to pray, and evening having come, he was there alone,
After he dismissed them, he went up into the hills to pray by himself. When it was evening, he was [still] there alone.
24 and the boat was now in the midst of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
[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].
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went away to them, walking upon the sea,
[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].
26 and the disciples having seen him walking upon the sea, were troubled saying — 'It is an apparition,' and from the fear they cried out;
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.
27 and immediately Jesus spake to them, saying, 'Be of good courage, I am [he], be not afraid.'
Immediately Jesus said to us, “Cheer up! It is I. Do not be afraid!”
28 And Peter answering him said, 'Sir, if it is thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters;'
Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to walk on the water to you!”
29 and he said, 'Come;' and having gone down from the boat, Peter walked upon the waters to come unto Jesus,
Then Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
30 but seeing the wind vehement, he was afraid, and having begun to sink, he cried out, saying, 'Sir, save me.'
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!”
31 And immediately Jesus, having stretched forth the hand, laid hold of him, and saith to him, 'Little faith! for what didst thou waver?'
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]”
32 and they having gone to the boat the wind lulled,
Then Jesus and Peter got in the boat, and the wind [immediately] stopped blowing.
33 and those in the boat having come, did bow to him, saying, 'Truly — God's Son art thou.'
All [of us disciples] who were in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the (Son of/man two is also) God!”
34 And having passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret,
When we had gone further around [the lake in the boat], we came ashore at Gennesaret [town].
35 and having recognized him, the men of that place sent forth to all that region round about, and they brought to him all who were ill,
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].
36 and were calling on him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment, and as many as did touch were saved.
[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]}.
