Christ teaches at Nazareth: he sends forth the twelve apostles: he feeds five thousand with five loaves; and walks upon the sea.

¹ And departing from there, he went away to his own country; and his disciples followed him.

² And when the Sabbath arrived, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many, upon hearing him, were amazed at his doctrine, saying: “Where did this one get all these things?” and, “What is this wisdom, which has been given to him?” and, “Such powerful deeds, which are wrought by his hands!”

³ “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude, and Simon? Are not his sisters also here with us?” And they took great offense at him.

⁴ And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house, and among his own kindred.”

⁵ And he was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he cured a few of the infirm by laying his hands on them.¹

1. 6:5He could not: Not for want of power, but because he would not work miracles in favour of obstinate and incredulous people, who were unworthy of such favours.(Challoner)

⁶ And he wondered, because of their unbelief, and he traveled around in the villages, teaching.

⁷ And he called the twelve. And he began to send them out in twos, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits.

⁸ And he instructed them not to take anything for the journey, except a staff: no traveling bag, no bread, and no money belt,

⁹ but to wear sandals, and not to wear two tunics.

¹⁰ And he said to them: “Whenever you have entered into a house, stay there until you depart from that place.

¹¹ And whoever will neither receive you, nor listen to you, as you go away from there, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”

¹² And going out, they were preaching, so that people would repent.¹

1. 6:12Literally, the text says ‘so that they would repent,’ but the word ‘people’ is used to distinguish the ‘they’ of ‘praedicabant’ from the ‘they’ of ‘agerent.’(Conte)

¹³ And they cast out many demons, and they anointed many of the sick with oil and healed them.

¹⁴ And king Herod heard of it, (for his name had become well-known) and he said: “John the Baptist has risen again from the dead, and because of this, miracles are at work in him.”

¹⁵ But others were saying, “Because it is Elijah.” Still others were saying, “Because he is a prophet, like one of the prophets.”

¹⁶ When Herod had heard it, he said, “John whom I beheaded, the same has risen again from the dead.”

¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent to capture John, and had chained him in prison, because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; for he had married her.

¹⁸ For John was saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

¹⁹ Now Herodias was devising treachery against him; and she wanted to kill him, but she was unable.

²⁰ For Herod was apprehensive of John, knowing him to be a just and holy man, and so he guarded him. And he heard that he was accomplishing many things, and so he listened to him willingly.¹

1. 6:20And kept him: That is, from the designs of Herodias; and for fear of the people, would not put him to death, though she sought it; and through her daughter she effected her wish.(Challoner)

²¹ And when an opportune time had arrived, Herod held a feast on his birthday, with the leaders, and the tribunes, and the first rulers of Galilee.

²² And when the daughter of the same Herodias had entered, and danced, and pleased Herod, along with those who were at table with him, the king said to the girl, “Request from me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.”

²³ And he swore to her, “Anything that you request, I will give to you, even up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ And when she had gone out, she said to her mother, “What shall I request?” But her mother said, “The head of John the Baptist.”

²⁵ And immediately, when she had entered with haste to the king, she petitioned him, saying: “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ And the king was greatly saddened. But because of his oath, and because of those who were sitting with him at table, he was not willing to disappoint her.

²⁷ So, having sent an executioner, he instructed that his head be brought on a platter.

²⁸ And he beheaded him in prison, and he brought his head on a platter. And he gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it her mother.

²⁹ When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and they placed it in a tomb.

³⁰ And the Apostles, returning to Jesus, reported to him everything that they had done and taught.

³¹ And he said to them, “Go out alone, into a deserted place, and rest for a little while.” For there were so many who were coming and going, that they did not even have time to eat.

³² And climbing into a boat, they went away to a deserted place alone.

³³ And they saw them going away, and many knew about it. And together they ran by foot from all the cities, and they arrived before them.

³⁴ And Jesus, going out, saw a great multitude. And he took pity on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

³⁵ And when many hours had now passed, his disciples drew near to him, saying: “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late.

³⁶ Send them away, so that by going out to nearby villages and towns, they might buy provisions for themselves to eat.”

³⁷ And responding, he said to them, “Give them something to eat yourselves.” And they said to him, “Let us go out and buy bread for two hundred denarii, and then we will give them something to eat.”

³⁸ And he said to them: “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹ And he instructed them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass.

⁴⁰ And they sat down in divisions by hundreds and by fifties.

⁴¹ And having received the five loaves and the two fish, gazing up to heaven, he blessed and broke the bread, and he gave it to his disciples to set before them. And the two fish he divided among them all.

⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied.

⁴³ And they brought together the remainder: twelve baskets full of fragments and of fish.

⁴⁴ Now those who ate were five thousand men.

⁴⁵ And without delay he urged his disciples to climb into the boat, so that they might precede him across the sea to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the people.

⁴⁶ And when he had dismissed them, he went to the mountain to pray.

⁴⁷ And when it was late, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he was alone on the land.

⁴⁸ And seeing them struggling to row, (for the wind was against them,) and about the fourth watch of the night, he came to them, walking upon the sea. And he intended to pass by them.

⁴⁹ But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they thought it was an apparition, and they cried out.

⁵⁰ For they all saw him, and they were very disturbed. And immediately he spoke with them, and he said to them: “Be strengthened in faith. It is I. Do not be afraid.”

⁵¹ And he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they became even more astonished within themselves.

⁵² For they did not understand about the bread. For their heart had been blinded.

⁵³ And when they had crossed over, they arrived in the land of Genesaret, and they reached the shore.

⁵⁴ And when they had disembarked from the boat, the people immediately recognized him.¹

1. 6:54Again, the word ‘people’ is used instead of the pronoun ‘they’ in order to clarify to whom ‘they’ refers.(Conte)

⁵⁵ And running throughout that entire region, they began to carry on beds those who had maladies, to where they heard that he would be.

⁵⁶ And in whichever place he entered, in towns or villages or cities, they placed the infirm in the main streets, and they pleaded with him that they might touch even the hem of his garment. And as many as touched him were made healthy.