1He left that place and went to his home town accompanied by his disciples. 2When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue; and the large congregation who heard him were amazed and said, 'Where does he get it from?', and, 'What wisdom is this that has been given him?', and, 'How does he work such miracles? 3Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? 4And are not his sisters here with us?' So they fell foul of him. Jesus said to them, 'A prophet will always be held in honour except in his home town, and among his kinsmen and family.' 5He could work no miracle there, except that he put his hands on a few sick people and healed them; 6and he was taken aback by their want of faith.
ON ONE OF HIS TEACHING JOURNEYS round the villages
14Now King Herod heard of it, for the fame of Jesus had spread; and people were saying, 'John the Baptist has been raised to life, and that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.' 15Others said, 'It is Elijah.' Others again, 'He is a prophet like one of the old prophets.' 16But Herod, when he heard of it, said, 'This is John, whom I beheaded, raised from the dead.'
17For this same Herod had sent and arrested John and put him in prison at the instance of his brother Philip's wife, Herodias, whom he had marrie d. 18John is had told Herod, 'You have no right to your brother's wife.' 19Thus Herodias nursed a grudge against him and would willingly have killed him, but she could not; 20for Herod went in awe of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man; so he kept him in custody. He liked to listen to him, although the listening left him greatly perplexed.
21Herodias found her opportunity when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet to his chief officials and commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22Her daughter came in and danced, and so delighted Herod and his guests that the king said to the girl, 'Ask what you like and I will give it you.' 23And he swore an oath to her: 'Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.' 24She went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist.' 25The girl hastened back at once to the king with her request: 'I want you to give me here and now, on a dish, the head of John the Baptist.' 26The king was greatly distressed, but out of regard for his oath and for his guests he could not bring himself to refuse her. 27So the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. The soldier went off and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought the head on a dish, and gave it to the girl; and she gave it to her mother.
29When John's disciples heard the news, they came and took his body away and laid it in a tomb.
45As soon as it was over he made his disciples embark and cross to Bethsaida ahead of him, while he himself sent the people away. 46After taking leave of them, he went up the hill-side to pray. 47It grew late and the boat was already well out on the water, while he was alone on the land. 48Somewhere between three and six in the morning, seeing them labouring at the oars against a head-wind, he came towards them, walking on the lake. 49He was going to pass them by; but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50for they all saw him and were terrified. But at once he spoke to them: 'Take heart! 51It is I; do not be afraid.' Then he climbed into the boat beside them, and the wind dropped. At this they were completely dumbfounded, 52for they had not understood the incident of the loaves; their minds were closed.
53So they finished the crossing and came to land at Gennesaret, where they made fast. 54When they came ashore, he was immediately recognized; 55and the people scoured that whole country-side and brought the sick on stretchers to any place where he was reported to be. 56Wherever he went, to farmsteads, villages, or towns, they laid out the sick in the marketplaces and begged him to let them simply touch the edge of his cloak; and all who touched him were cured.
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