45
At once Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake, while he sent the crowd away.
46
After saying good-bye to the people, he went away to a hill to pray.
47
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, while Jesus was alone on land.
48
He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because they were rowing against the wind; so sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, he came to them, walking on the water. He was going to pass them by,
49
but they saw him walking on the water. "It's a ghost!" they thought, and screamed.
50
They were all terrified when they saw him. Jesus spoke to them at once, "Courage!" he said. "It is I. Don't be afraid!"
51
Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely amazed,
52
because they had not understood the real meaning of the feeding of the five thousand; their minds could not grasp it.
53
They crossed the lake and came to land at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat.
54
As they left the boat, people recognized Jesus at once.
55
So they ran throughout the whole region; and wherever they heard he was, they brought to him the sick lying on their mats.