The Death of John the Baptist
14 1King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some said,
2"John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."
15
3But others said, "He is Elijah." And others said, "He is
4a prophet, like one of the prophets of old."
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But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."
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5For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and
6bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her.
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7For John had been saying to Herod,
8"It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
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And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not,
20
for Herod
9feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he
10heard him gladly.
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But an opportunity came when Herod
11on his birthday
12gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.
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For when Herodias's daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you."
23
And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you,
13up to half of my kingdom."
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And she went out and said to her mother, "For what should I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the Baptist."
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And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
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And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.
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And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison
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and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29
When his
14disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30 The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught.
31
And he said to them,
"Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and
15they had no leisure even to eat.
32
16And they went away in
17the boat to a desolate place by themselves.
33
Now many saw them going and
18recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
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When he went ashore he
19saw a great crowd, and
20he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
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And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.
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21Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."
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But he answered them,
22"You give them something to eat." And
23they said to him,
24"Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them 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,
25"Five, and two fish."
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Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.
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So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.
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And taking the five loaves and the two fish he
26looked up to heaven and
27said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.
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And they all ate and were satisfied.
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And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.
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And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.