AUV(i)
1 Then Jesus went out from there and came to His home town [i.e., Nazareth] and His disciples went with Him.
2 And when the Sabbath day came, He began teaching in the synagogue and many who heard Him were amazed, and asked [such questions as], “Where did this man get these things [i.e., knowledge, miracles, etc.]?” and “What kind of wisdom has been given to him?” and “What do these supernatural powers he performs mean?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters living here among us?” And they were led to doubt His true identity.
4 Then Jesus said to them, “A prophet does not go without receiving honor, except in his own home town, and among his own relatives, and among his own family members.”
5 And He could not perform any supernatural deed there [i.e., because of their lack of faith in Him], except He placed hands on a few sick people [i.e., accompanied by prayer ?] and healed them.
6 [But] He marveled at the people’s lack of faith. So, He traveled and taught throughout the [surrounding] villages.
7 Then Jesus called to Him the twelve apostles and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over evil spirits
8 and ordered them not to take anything with them during their travels, except a walking stick. They were to take no food, no traveling bag [for personal belongings], and no money in their money belts,
9 but were to wear sandals and take only one coat.
10 And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place.
11 And the people from whatever place that does not welcome you or listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off from under your shoes as evidence against them.” [Note: This was a Jewish custom showing disdain and intended to suggest their unworthiness].
12 Then they went out and preached that people should repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].
13 And they drove out many evil spirits and applied [olive] oil to [the heads of] many sick people and healed them.
14 Now King Herod heard about this [i.e., what Jesus was doing] because His name had become well known. He said, “John the Immerser has risen from the dead and it is his powers that are at work in Jesus.”
15 But others said, “He is [the prophet] Elijah” [while] others said, “He is a prophet like one of the prophets [of old].”
16 But when King Herod heard [about Jesus], he said, “John, whom I [had] decapitated, has risen.”
17 For it was Herod himself who had sent for John and had him arrested and chained up in prison. He did this to please Herodias, who was [i.e., had been] his brother Philip’s wife, but whom Herod had married.
18 For John had said to Herod, “It is unlawful for you to marry your brother’s wife.”
19 Now [because of this] Herodias had a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but had not been able to.
20 It was because Herod was afraid of John, knowing he was a righteous and holy man, so he protected him. And Herod became very disturbed whenever he listened to John, yet he heard him gladly.
21 Then an ideal opportunity arose [i.e., for Herodias to do away with John] when Herod gave a dinner on his birthday for his influential friends, military commanders and the prominent officials of Galilee.
22 And when Herodias’ daughter [Note: According to Josephus her name was Salome] came in and danced [in front of them, sensually], she pleased Herod and his party guests so much that the king said to the young woman, “Ask me for whatever you want and I will give it to you.”
23 And he vowed to her, “I will give you whatever you ask me for, up to one half [the wealth] of my kingdom.”
24 So, she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” And her mother said, “ [Ask for] the head of John the Immerser.”
25 At once she hurried in to the king and said, “I would like you to give me the head of John the Immerser on a [large] platter right away.”
26 And the king became very distressed [over such a gruesome request], but because he had promised her with oaths, and [to keep from looking bad] in front of his party guests, he did not refuse her [request].
27 And immediately the king sent a soldier who served as his guard and ordered him to bring John’s head to him. So, he went and decapitated him in the prison,
28 and brought his head on a [large] platter and gave it to the young woman. She [in turn] gave it to her mother [Herodias].
29 And when John’s disciples heard [what had happened] they took his body and buried it in a grave.
30 Then the apostles got together with Jesus and told Him everything they had done and taught [on their mission].
31 He said to them, “You men, leave here and go to a deserted place and rest for awhile.” For there were so many people coming and going [i.e., to listen to preaching, receive healing, etc.], that they had no opportunity even to eat.
32 So, they [i.e., Jesus and His apostles] left by boat and went to a separate place [where they could be] alone.
33 But the people saw them going and, since many recognized them, these people ran on ahead of them from all the [surrounding] towns.
34 Then Jesus left [His place of seclusion] and, seeing the large crowd, He felt deep compassion for them because they were [as disoriented] as sheep without a shepherd, so He began teaching them.
35 And when the day was nearly over His disciples came to Him and said, “This place is deserted and the day is almost over;
36 send the crowd away so they can go into the surrounding countryside and towns to buy themselves something to eat.”
37 But He answered them, “You [men] give them something to eat.” And they replied, “Should we go and buy a supply of bread to give them to eat?” [Note: The amount mentioned here indicates that it was two hundred days of a farm laborer’s pay, or about $14,000 in 1994].
38 And He said to them, “How many loaves [of bread] do you have? Go and see.” And when had found out, they said, “Five [barley] loaves [See John 6:9] and two [probably smoked] fish.”
39 And He ordered all of them to recline in groups on the green grass.
40 So, they reclined in groups of fifty and one hundred.
41 Then He took the five loaves of bread and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He asked God’s blessing on them. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to His disciples to set in front of the people [to eat]. He divided the two fish among them also
42 and they all ate until they were full.
43 Then they gathered up twelve baskets full of broken pieces [of bread] and also some fish.
44 The number eating the loaves of bread was five thousand men. [Note: This was besides women and children. See Matt. 14:21].
45 And about then Jesus compelled His disciples to get into a boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side [i.e., to the west side of Lake Galilee] to Bethsaida [Note: This was apparently a different “Bethsaida” from the one mentioned in Luke 9:10, which was on the east side of Lake Galilee], while He Himself sent the crowd away.
46 And after He had left them He went into a mountain to pray.
47 When evening came the boat [containing His disciples] was in the middle of the lake while He remained alone on the shore.
48 When He saw how distressed His disciples were, rowing against an opposing wind, Jesus came to them between three and six o’clock in the morning, walking on the water, and almost walked past them.
49 But when they saw Him walking on the water they thought it was a spirit, so shouted out,
50 becoming [very] frightened when they saw Him. But He immediately spoke to them and said, “Take courage, and do not be afraid, it is I.”
51 Then He got up into the boat with them and the wind [immediately] stopped. And His disciples were greatly amazed [at this],
52 but they did not understand [the miracle] of the loaves because their minds were insensitive [i.e., to the nature and power of Jesus].
53 And when they had [finally] crossed over [i.e., to the west side of Lake Galilee], they arrived in the district of Gennesaret and moored the boat on shore.
54 As soon as they got out of the boat the people recognized Jesus
55 and rushed around the whole district to bring sick people on cots to where He was.
56 And wherever He entered towns, cities or the countryside, they placed sick people at the open shopping markets and begged Him to allow them to touch even the edge of His robe. And all those who touched Him were made well.