Read the Bible

¹ At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

² and said to his servants, This is John the baptist: *he* is risen from the dead, and because of this these works of power display their force in him.

³ For Herod had seized John, and had bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother.

⁴ For John said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

⁵ And [while] desiring to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they held him for a prophet.

⁶ But when Herod's birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod;

⁷ whereupon he promised with oath to give her whatsoever she should ask.

⁸ But she, being set on by her mother, says, Give me here upon a dish the head of John the baptist.

⁹ And the king was grieved; but on account of the oaths, and those lying at table with [him], he commanded [it] to be given.

¹⁰ And he sent and beheaded John in the prison;

¹¹ and his head was brought upon a dish, and was given to the damsel, and she carried [it] to her mother.

¹² And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and came and brought word to Jesus.

¹³ And Jesus, having heard it, went away thence by ship to a desert place apart. And the crowds having heard [of it] followed him on foot from the cities.

¹⁴ And going out he saw a great crowd, and was moved with compassion about them, and healed their infirm.

¹⁵ But when even was come, his disciples came to him saying, The place is desert, and [much of] the [day] time already gone by; dismiss the crowds, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.

¹⁶ But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give *ye* them to eat.

¹⁷ But they say to him, We have not here save five loaves and two fishes.

¹⁸ And he said, Bring them here to me.

¹⁹ And having commanded the crowds to recline upon the grass, having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed: and having broken the loaves, he gave [them] to the disciples, and the disciples [gave them] to the crowds.

²⁰ And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was over and above of fragments twelve hand-baskets full.

²¹ But those that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

²² And immediately he compelled the disciples to go on board ship, and to go on before him to the other side, until he should have dismissed the crowds.

²³ And having dismissed the crowds, he went up into the mountain apart to pray. And when even was come, he was alone there,

²⁴ but the ship was already in the middle of the sea tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

²⁵ But in the fourth watch of the night he went off to them, walking on the sea.

²⁶ And the disciples, seeing him walking on the sea, were troubled, saying, It is an apparition. And they cried out through fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, Take courage; it is *I*: be not afraid.

²⁸ And Peter answering him said, Lord, if it be *thou*, command me to come to thee upon the waters.

²⁹ And he said, Come. And Peter, having descended from the ship, walked upon the waters to go to Jesus.

³⁰ But seeing the wind strong he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.

³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught hold of him, and says to him, O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?

³² And when they had gone up into the ship, the wind fell.

³³ But those in the ship came and did homage to him, saying, Truly thou art God's Son.

³⁴ And having crossed over they came to the land of Gennesaret.

³⁵ And when the men of that place recognised him, they sent to that whole country around, and they brought to him all that were ill,

³⁶ and besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made thoroughly well.