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If you're not welcomed, leave town. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and move on."
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Commissioned, they left. They traveled from town to town telling the latest news of God, the Message, and curing people everywhere they went.
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Herod, the ruler, heard of these goings on and didn't know what to think. There were people saying John had come back from the dead,
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others that Elijah had appeared, still others that some prophet of long ago had shown up.
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Herod said, "But I killed John - took off his head. So who is this that I keep hearing about?" Curious, he looked for a chance to see him in action.
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The apostles returned and reported on what they had done. Jesus took them away, off by themselves, near the town called Bethsaida.
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But the crowds got wind of it and followed. Jesus graciously welcomed them and talked to them about the kingdom of God. Those who needed healing, he healed.
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As the day declined, the Twelve said, "Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the farms or villages around here and get a room for the night and a bite to eat. We're out in the middle of nowhere."
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"You feed them," Jesus said.
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(There were more than five thousand people in the crowd.)
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They did what he said, and soon had everyone seated.