Part 3

Immediately the damsel, who was twelve years old, arose and walked. They were astonished and Jesus charged them directly that they should tell no one. Then He said that she should be given something to eat.

6 And He went, followed by His disciples, into His own country. On the sabbath day, He began to teach in the synagogue. Many local people heard the sayings of Jesus and were astonished. They asked, From whence has this man learned these things? What wisdom is this that is given to Him that even such mighty works are wrought by His hands? Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Juda, and Simon? Are His sisters not right here among us? Thus, they were offended at Him. And Jesus said, A prophet is without honour in his own country, among his own kin, and in his own house.

Jesus went there to do mighty works. He marvelled at their unbelief and, because of this, could do little but lay His hands upon and heal a few of the sick and teach in the villages around the area.

In a little while, Jesus called to Him the twelve to begin to go forth by two and two. He gave them power over unclean spirits. He told them that they should take nothing for their journey except a staff; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse. He instructed them to be shod with only sandals; and not put on two coats.

He said to them, In what place soever ye enter into a house, abide there until ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye leave there, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them. Verily I say to you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment than for that place. The disciples went out and preached that men should repent. They cast out many devils, anointed many sick people with oil, and healed many of them.

King Herod heard of Him (for His name was spread abroad) and said that John the Baptist was risen from the dead and, therefore, mighty works were shown forth in him. Others said, It is Elias. And others said, It is one of the prophets. But when Herod heard all this he said, It is John whom I beheaded. He is risen from the dead.

Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold of John. He had him bound and imprisoned for Herodias, his brother Philip's wife's sake whom Herod had married. John told Herod that it was not lawful for him to have his brother's wife. Herodias, therefore, held this against John and wanted him killed. Herod, however, feared John and knew he was a just and holy man. Herod saw and heard John many times and heard him gladly.

Then Herod, on his birthday, made a supper for his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee. The daughter of Herodias came and danced. Herod and those who sat with him were pleased. The king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt and I will give it thee. He swore to her that whatever she should ask of him, he would give her even up to half of his kingdom. She went to her mother, Herodias, and said, What shall I ask? Her mother said, The head of John the Baptist. Then she hurried back to the king and said, I will that thou give me the head of John the Baptist on a charger.

The king was exceedingly sorry. Yet for his oath's sake, and for the sake of those who sat with him, he would not reject her. The king sent for an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. The executioner went and beheaded John in the prison. He brought his head on a charger and gave it to the damsel. Then the damsel gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of this, they came and took up his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

The apostles gathered together, went to Jesus, and told him all things, what they had done and what they had taught. Then Jesus said to them, Come ye away into a desert place and rest a while. They had been coming and going and had no time even to eat. Thus they departed into a desert place, going privately by boat. But the people saw them departing, outran them, and came together to Him.

Jesus saw the multitude that had gathered and was moved with compassion toward them because they were as sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them. And when the day was far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, This is a desert place and it is very late. Send them away so they may go into the country and into the villages to buy themselves bread for they have nothing to eat.

Jesus answered, Give ye them to eat. And they said, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread and give it to them to eat? He asked them, How many loaves have ye? Go and see. They came back and told Him, Five, and two fish.

Jesus commanded them to make all the people sit down in groups upon the green grass. They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. Then, when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven and blessed it. He broke the loaves and gave them to His disciples to set before them all. And He divided the two fish among them. They all ate and were filled. After, they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments of bread and fish. Those who ate of the loaves were about five thousand men.

And immediately He instructed His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other side to Bethsaida while He sent the people away and He departed into a mountain to pray. At evening time the boat was in the midst of the sea. Jesus was alone on the land.

He looked out and saw them rowing with great difficulty for the wind was contrary to them. At about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But, when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it was a spirit. They cried out and were troubled.

Immediately Jesus talked with them and said, Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid. And He went up to them in the boat. Then the wind ceased and they were amazed beyond measure. They wondered and did not even remember the miracle of the loaves for their hearts were hardened.

They reached the other shore and came into the land of Gennesaret. As they drew into shore and got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized Jesus. After they ran to all the area around the region, many arrived carrying in beds those that were sick. And wheresoever He entered into villages or cities or country, they laid the sick in the streets and besought Him to allow the sick to touch but the border of His garment. And as many as touched Him, He made them whole.

7 Pharisees and some scribes from Jerusalem observed that some of His disciples ate bread with unwashed hands. They found fault with this defilement for the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding the tradition of the elders along with the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?

Jesus answered, Well has Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites. It is written, This people honor me with their lips but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. In laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups and many other things that ye do. And He said to them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God in order to keep your own tradition.

Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother and, whoso curses father or mother, let him die. But ye say, If a man says to his father or mother, It is Corban, a gift, by whatsoever thou might be gained by me; he shall be free. Ye allow him to do nothing for his father or mother and make the word of God worthless through your tradition and many other things like this.

Then He called all the people to Him and said, Hearken to me every one of you. Understand that there is nothing from outside a man that, entering into him, can defile him; but the things which come out of him are those that defile the man. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.

After He went into the house, His disciples asked Him about the parable. Jesus replied, Are ye without understanding also? Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without enters into the man it cannot defile him because it enters not into his heart, but into the belly and goes out into the draught, purging all meats? But that which comes out of the man is what defiles him. It is from inside, out of the heart of men, that proceed: evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile the man.

From there He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and would have no man know it. But He could not be hid for a certain woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit had heard of Him. She found Him and came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought Him to cast forth the devil from her daughter.

But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be filled. It is not fit to take the child's bread and cast it to the dogs. She answered, Yes, Lord. Yet the dogs under the table eat the child's crumbs. Jesus then said to her, For saying this, go thy way. The devil is gone from thy daughter. When she returned home she found her daughter at rest upon the bed and the devils cast out.

Upon leaving the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came to the sea of Galilee through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. Here they brought a man that was deaf and had a speech impediment. They besought Him to put His hand upon him. Jesus took the man apart from the multitude and put His fingers into the man's ears. Looking up to heaven, He sighed and said, Ephphatha, Be opened.

Immediately the man's ears were opened. His tongue was loosed and he spoke plain. Then Jesus charged those present to tell no man. However, the more He charged them, the more they published it saying, He has done all things well. He makes the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

8 Jesus called His disciples to Him and said, I have compassion on the multitude because they have been with me three days and they have nothing to eat. If I send them away to their own houses fasting, they will faint by the way. Many of them came from afar. His disciples answered Him, How can these men be supplied with bread here in the wilderness? Jesus asked them, How many loaves have ye? They answered, Seven.

Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He broke the loaves and gave them to His disciples. Then His disciples set them before the people. They also had a few small fish which Jesus blessed and told the disciples to set them also before the people. So they did eat and were filled. After this the disciples took up the broken fragments and filled seven baskets. The number of those who had eaten was about four thousand.