And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed _them_.
CHAPTER XXIV.
JOHN THE BAPTIST BEHEADED BY ORDER OF HEROD.
And it came to pa.s.s, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, of all that was done by him: (for his name was spread abroad:) and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead: and of some that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And (he) said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him: and he desired to see him. Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. But when Herod heard _thereof_, he said, it is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias" sake, his brother Philip"s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother"s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birth day made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief _estates_ of Galilee; and when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give _it_ thee. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask. And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give _it_ thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
And she, being before instructed of her mother, came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
And the king was exceedingly sorry: _yet_ for his oath"s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought; and he went and beheaded him in the prison. And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave _it_ to her mother. And when his disciples heard _of it_, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb, and went and told Jesus.
CHAPTER XXV.
JESUS FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND WITH FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISHES.
And the apostles, when they were returned, gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. And he said unto them,
Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile.
For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is _the sea_ of Tiberias, by ship privately, into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compa.s.sion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things; and spake unto them of the kingdom of G.o.d, and healed them that had need of healing.
And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
And the pa.s.sover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh. When Jesus then lifted up _his_ eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip,
Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. And when it was evening, his disciples, the twelve, came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time _is_ far pa.s.sed: send them away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat: for we are here in a desert place. But Jesus said unto them,
They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them,
How many loaves have ye? go and see.
And when they knew, one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter"s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? We have no more but five loaves and two fishes: except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. He said,
Bring them hither to me.
And he said to his disciples,
Make them sit down by fifties in a company upon the green gra.s.s.
Now there was much gra.s.s in the place. So the men sat down, in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties, in number about five thousand. And when Jesus had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, and when he had given thanks, looking up to heaven, he blessed them and brake the loaves, and gave the loaves to _his_ disciples, and the disciples to the mult.i.tude that were set down: and likewise the two fishes divided he among them all; as much as they would. And they did all eat, and were filled. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples,
Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
Therefore they gathered _them_ together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, and of the fishes, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
CHAPTER XXVI.
WALKS ON THE SEA--MOUNTAIN CLOSET--PETER SINKING.
Then those men when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, and when he had sent the mult.i.tudes away, he departed again into a mountain himself alone, to pray. And when even was _now_ come, his disciples went down unto the sea, and entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them. But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary: and he alone on the land.
And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew. And he saw them toiling in rowing: for the wind was contrary unto them. So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, and about the fourth watch of the night, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and would have pa.s.sed by them. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear: for they all saw him, and were troubled.
But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying,
Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said,
Come.
And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth _his_ hand, and caught him, and said unto him,
O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
Then they willingly received him into the ship. And when they were come into the ship the wind ceased: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of G.o.d. And they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not _the miracle_ of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
And when they had pa.s.sed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the sh.o.r.e. And when they were come out of the ship, and when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country; and ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole. The day following when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but _that_ his disciples were gone away alone: (howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks;) when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.