Chapter 6

Leaving that place He came into His own country, accompanied by His disciples.

On the Sabbath He proceeded to teach in the synagogue; and many, as they heard Him, were astonished. 'Where did he acquire all this?' they asked. 'What is this wisdom that has been given to him? And what are these marvellous miracles which his hands perform?

Is not this the carpenter, Mary's son, the brother of James and Joses, Jude and Simon? And do not his sisters live here among us?' So they turned angrily away.

But Jesus said to them, 'There is no Prophet without honour except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own home.'

And He could not do any miracle there, except that He laid His hands on a few who were out of health and cured them; and

He wondered at their unbelief. So He went round the adjacent villages, teaching.

Then summoning the Twelve to Him, He proceeded to send them out by twos, and gave them authority over the foul spirits.

He charged them to take nothing for the journey except a stick; no bread, no bag, and not a penny in their pockets,

but to go wearing sandals. 'And do not,' He said, 'put on an extra under garment.

Wherever you enter a house, make it your home till you leave that place.

But wherever they will not receive you or listen to you, when you leave shake off the very dust from under your feet to bear witness concerning them.'

So they set out, and preached in order that men might repent.

Many demons they expelled, and many invalids they anointed with oil and cured.

King Herod heard of all this (for the name of Jesus had become widely known), and he kept saying, 'John the Baptizer has come back to life, and that is why these miraculous Powers are working in him.'

Others asserted that He was Elijah. Others again said, 'He is a Prophet, like one of the great Prophets.'

But when Herod heard of Him, he said, 'The John, whom I beheaded, has come back to life.'

For Herod himself had sent and had had John arrested and had kept him in prison in chains, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.

For John had repeatedly told Herod, 'You have no right to be living with your brother's wife.'

Therefore Herodias hated him and wished to take his life, but could not;

for Herod stood in awe of John, knowing him to be an upright and holy man, and he protected him. After listening to him he was in great perplexity, and yet he found a pleasure in listening.

At length Herodias found her opportunity. Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to the nobles of his court and to the tribunes and the principal people in Galilee,

at which Herodias's own daughter came in and danced, and so charmed Herod and his guests that he said to her, 'Ask me for anything you please, and I will give it to you.'

He even swore to her, 'Whatever you ask me for I will give you, up to half my kingdom.'

She at once went out and said to her mother: 'What shall I ask for?' 'The head of John the Baptizer,' she replied.

The girl immediately came in, in haste, to the King and made her request. 'My desire is,' she said, 'that you will give me, here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.'

Then the King, though intensely sorry, yet for the sake of his oaths, and of his guests, would not break faith with her.

He at once sent a soldier of his guard with orders to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in the prison,

and brought his head on a dish and gave it to the young girl, who gave it to her mother.

When John's disciples heard of it, they came and took away his body and laid it in a tomb.

When the Apostles had re-assembled round Jesus, they reported to Him all they had done and all they had taught.

Then He said to them, 'Come away, all of you, to a quiet place, and rest awhile.' For there were many coming and going, so that they had no time even for meals.

Accordingly they sailed away in the boat to a solitary place apart.

But the people saw them going, and many knew them; and coming by land they ran together there from all the neighbouring towns, and arrived before them.

So when Jesus landed, He saw a vast multitude; and His heart was moved with pity for them, because they were like sheep which have no shepherd, and He proceeded to teach them many things.

By this time it was late; so His disciples came to Him, and said, 'This is a lonely place, and the hour is now late:

send them away that they may go to the farms and villages near here and buy themselves something to eat.'

'Give them food yourselves,' He replied. 'Are we,' they asked, 'to go and buy two hundred shillings' worth of bread and give them food?'

'How many loaves have you?' He inquired; 'go and see.' So they found out, and said, 'Five; and a couple of fish.'

So He directed them to make all sit down in companies on the green grass.

And they sat down in rows of hundreds and of fifties.

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and lifting His eyes to Heaven He blessed the food. Then He broke the loaves into portions which He went on handing to the disciples to distribute; giving pieces also of the two fish to them all.

All ate and were fully satisfied.

And they carried away broken portions enough to fill twelve baskets, besides pieces of the fish.

Those who ate the bread were 5,000 adult men.

Immediately afterwards He made His disciples go on board the boat and cross over to Bethsaida, leaving Him behind to dismiss the crowd.

He then bade the people farewell, and went away up the hill to pray.

When evening was come, the boat was half way across the Lake, while he Himself was on shore alone.

But when He saw them distressed with rowing (for the wind was against them), towards morning He came towards them walking on the Lake, as if intending to pass them.

They saw Him walking on the water, and thinking that it was a spirit they cried out;

for they all saw Him and were terrified. He, however, immediately spoke to them. 'There is no danger,' He said; 'it is I; be not alarmed.'

Then He went up to them on board the boat, and the wind lulled; and they were beside themselves with silent amazement.

For they had not learned the lesson taught by the loaves, but their minds were dull.

Having crossed over they drew to land in Gennesaret and came to anchor.

But no sooner had they gone ashore than the people immediately recognized Him.

Then they scoured the whole district, and began to bring Him the sick on their mats wherever they heard He was.

And enter wherever He might--village or town or hamlet--they laid their sick in the open places, and entreated Him to let them touch were it but the tassel of His robe; and all, whoever touched Him, were restored to health.