Matthew Chapter 14 — Miracles and the Cost of Faith

¹At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,

²and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him.”

³For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

⁴For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

⁵When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

⁶But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.

⁷Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.

⁸She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”

⁹The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,

¹⁰and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.

¹¹His head was brought on a platter and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother.

¹²His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

¹³Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.

¹⁴Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

¹⁵When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”

¹⁶But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.”

¹⁸He said, “Bring them here to me.”

¹⁹He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

²⁰They all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.

²¹Those who ate were about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.

²²Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

²³After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.

²⁴But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

²⁵In the fourth watch of the night,*The night was equally divided into four watches, so the fourth watch is approximately 3:00 a.m. to sunrise. Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.✡See Job 9:8

²⁶When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out for fear.

²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! †or, I AM! Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.”

²⁹He said, “Come!”

³⁰But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

³¹Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

³²When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.

³³Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”

³⁴When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.

³⁵When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all that surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick;

³⁶and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe‡or, tassel of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.