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Matthew 14

1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report about Jesus 2and said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead, and that is why these powers are at work in him.” 3For Herod had seized John, bound him, and put him in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. 4For John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. 6But when Herod's birthday celebration came, Herodias's daughter danced among them and pleased Herod, 7so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and those reclining with him, he ordered it to be given. 10He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12His disciples came, took the corpse, and buried him. Then they came and reported it to Jesus.

13When Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there by boat to a deserted place by himself. When the crowds heard, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14When he came out, he saw a large crowd and had compassion for them, and he healed their sick. 15When evening came, the disciples approached him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away so that they can go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17They said to him, “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.” 18He said, “Bring them here to me.” 19He ordered the crowds to recline on the grass, took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and spoke a blessing. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20They all ate and were filled, and they collected twelve baskets full of the leftover pieces. 21Those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

22Immediately he made the disciples get into a boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the crowds away. 23After sending the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. 24The boat was already many stadia from land, battered by the waves, for the wind was against it. 25In the fourth watch of the night, he came to them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were disturbed, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27Immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage. It is I; do not fear.” 28Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.” 29He said, “Come.” Peter got down from the boat, walked on the waters, and came to Jesus. 30But when he saw the strong wind, he became afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, caught him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33Those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are God's Son.”

34They crossed over and came to land at Gennesaret. 35When the men of that place recognized him, they sent word into all that surrounding region and brought him everyone who was sick. 36They pleaded with him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment, and all who touched it were saved.

Translation notes 6

14:1–12 — Herod and John. “Tetrarch” is a regional ruler's title; verse 9 calls him “king.” The account looks back to John's imprisonment and death to explain Herod's reaction. “Attendants” at verse 2 describes members of his service, not children. Matthew's attribution of the desire to kill John to Herod is retained.

14:19–21 — Blessing and the crowd. The Greek says he blessed, without an expressed object. The count specifies men and separately mentions women and children; it is not a total head count. The same distinction occurs in 15:38.

14:24–25 — Stadia; fourth watch. A stadion is an ancient distance of roughly 200 yards. The fourth watch was the last division of the night, approximately 3 to 6 a.m. The base has “many stadia from land,” rather than “in the middle of the sea.”

14:27–29 — It is I; came to Jesus. “It is I” renders the self-identification literally expressed as “I am.” The base says Peter walked and “came to Jesus”; another reading says he walked “to come to Jesus.” Neither reading should be silently adjusted to explain the subsequent sinking.

14:33 — Worshiped. The verb can denote bowing in reverence or worship. The explicit confession of Jesus as God's Son favors “worshiped” here.

14:36 — Saved. The Greek is a compound form of the verb for saving, here describing recovery from illness. “Healed” gives its contextual sense. “Fringe” can also be rendered “tassel.”