The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
1 He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along.
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And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
2 On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?"
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And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
3 But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a carpenter - Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.
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Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
4 Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child."
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But Jesus said unto them,A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there - he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all.
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And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 He couldn't get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.
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And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
7 Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs. He gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition.
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And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
8 He sent them off with these instructions: "Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment. No special appeals for funds. Keep it simple.
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And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
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But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
10 "And no luxury inns. Get a modest place and be content there until you leave.
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And he said unto them,In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
11 "If you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene. Shrug your shoulders and be on your way."
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And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
12 Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different;
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And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
13 right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits.
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And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
14 King Herod heard of all this, for by this time the name of Jesus was on everyone's lips. He said, "This has to be John the Baptizer come back from the dead - that's why he's able to work miracles!"
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And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
15 Others said, "No, it's Elijah." Others said, "He's a prophet, just like one of the old-time prophets."
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Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
16 But Herod wouldn't budge: "It's John, sure enough. I cut off his head, and now he's back, alive."
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But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
17 Herod was the one who had ordered the arrest of John, put him in chains, and sent him to prison at the nagging of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife.
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For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
18 For John had provoked Herod by naming his relationship with Herodias "adultery."
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For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19 Herodias, smoldering with hate, wanted to kill him, but didn't dare
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Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
20 because Herod was in awe of John. Convinced that he was a holy man, he gave him special treatment. Whenever he listened to him he was miserable with guilt - and yet he couldn't stay away. Something in John kept pulling him back.
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For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
21 But a portentous day arrived when Herod threw a birthday party, inviting all the brass and bluebloods in Galilee.
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And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
22 Herodias's daughter entered the banquet hall and danced for the guests. She dazzled Herod and the guests.
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And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
23 Carried away, he kept on, "I swear, I'll split my kingdom with you if you say so!"
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And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
24 She went back to her mother and said, "What should I ask for?" "Ask for the head of John the Baptizer."
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And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
25 Excited, she ran back to the king and said, "I want the head of John the Baptizer served up on a platter. And I want it now!"
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And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
26 That sobered the king up fast. But unwilling to lose face with his guests, he caved in and let her have her wish.
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And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
27 The king sent the executioner off to the prison with orders to bring back John's head. He went, cut off John's head,
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And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 brought it back on a platter, and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.
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And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and got the body and gave it a decent burial.
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And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
30 The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught.
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And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
31 Jesus said, "Come off by yourselves; let's take a break and get a little rest." For there was constant coming and going. They didn't even have time to eat.
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And he said unto them,Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
32 So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves.
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And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
33 Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them.
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And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
34 When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke - like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.
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And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
35 When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough - it was now quite late in the day - they interrupted: "We are a long way out in the country, and it's very late.
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And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
36 Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper."
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Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
37 Jesus said, "You do it. Fix supper for them." They replied, "Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?"
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He answered and said unto them,Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
38 But he was quite serious. "How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory." That didn't take long. "Five," they said, "plus two fish."
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He saith unto them,How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
39 Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred - they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass!
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And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
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And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
41 He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish.
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And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
42 They all ate their fill.
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And they did all eat, and were filled.
43 The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers.
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And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
44 More than five thousand were at the supper.
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And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
45 As soon as the meal was finished, Jesus insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead across to Bethsaida while he dismissed the congregation.
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And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
46 After sending them off, he climbed a mountain to pray.
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And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
47 Late at night, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land.
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And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
48 He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them.
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And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
49 But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared out of their wits.
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But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
50 Jesus was quick to comfort them: "Courage! It's me. Don't be afraid."
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For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them,Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
51 As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on.
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And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
52 They didn't understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.
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For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
53 They beached the boat at Gennesaret and tied up at the landing.
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And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
54 As soon as they got out of the boat, word got around fast.
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And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
55 People ran this way and that, bringing their sick on stretchers to where they heard he was.
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And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
56 Wherever he went, village or town or country crossroads, they brought their sick to the marketplace and begged him to let them touch the edge of his coat - that's all. And whoever touched him became well.
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And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The King James Version is in the public domain.