Matthew 14:1-14

The Death of John the Baptist

1 1At that time 2Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,
2 and he said to his servants, 3"This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him."
3 For 4Herod had seized John and bound him and 5put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,[a]
4 because John had been saying to him, 6"It is not lawful for you to have her."
5 And though he wanted to put him to death, 7he feared the people, because they held him to be 8a prophet.
6 But when Herod's 9birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,
7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.
8 Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter."
9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.
10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,
11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.
12 And 10his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

13 Now when Jesus heard this, 11he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14 When he went ashore he 12saw a great crowd, and 13he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

Cross References 13

  • 1. For ver. 1-12, see Mark 6:14-29; Luke 9:7-9
  • 2. Luke 3:1; Acts 13:1
  • 3. Matthew 16:14
  • 4. Luke 3:19, 20
  • 5. Matthew 11:2; John 3:24
  • 6. Leviticus 18:16; Leviticus 20:21
  • 7. Matthew 21:26; [Matthew 21:46]
  • 8. See Matthew 11:9
  • 9. Genesis 40:20
  • 10. See Matthew 9:14
  • 11. For ver. 13-21, see Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-13; [Matthew 15:32-38; Matthew 16:9; Mark 8:2-9]
  • 12. [Matthew 9:36]
  • 13. [Matthew 9:36]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Some manuscripts his brother's wife
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.