Matthew 14:1-21 ▼

1 And at that time Herod the tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus,

2 and he said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore miracles are wrought in him.

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

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

5 And wishing to kill him, he feared the multitude, because they esteemed him as a prophet.

6 Herod's birthday being celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced in the midst, and pleased Herod;

7 consequently with an oath he promised to give to her whatsoever she might ask.

8 And being instigated by her mother, she says, Give me the head of John the Baptist here in a charger.

9 And the king was grieved; nevertheless on account of his oaths, and those who were sitting with him, he commanded it to be given.

10 And sending, he beheaded John in prison;

11 and his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

12 And His disciples, having come, took the body, and buried it; and having come they proclaimed it to Jesus.

13 And Jesus hearing, departed thence in a ship privately into a desert place. And the multitudes hearing, followed Him on foot from the cities.

14 And Jesus having come out saw a great multitude; and was moved with compassion in their behalf, and healed their sick.

15 And it being evening, His disciples came to Him saying, It is a desert place, and the hour is already advanced; therefore send away the multitudes, that they having gone into the villages, may purchase for themselves victuals.

16 And Jesus said to them, They have no need to go away; you give them to eat.

17 And they say to Him, We have nothing here except five loaves and two fishes.

18 And He said, Bring them hither to me.

19 And commanding the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven, He blessed them; and breaking, gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

20 And all ate, and were filled: and they took up the remainder of the fragments twelve baskets full.

21 And the men eating were about five thousand, besides women and children.