Matthew 14
1 At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,
During that time Herod [Antipas], the ruler, heard reports about Jesus [performing miracles].
2 and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him.”
He said to his servants: “That must be John the Baptizer. He must have risen from the dead, and that is why he has power to perform miracles.”
3 For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
The reason [Herod thought that was this: Herod had married] Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, [while Philip was still living. So] John had been saying to him, “[What] you [did by] marrying [your brother’s wife while your brother is still alive is against God’s] law!” Then, to [please] Herodias, Herod [told his soldiers] to arrest John. They bound him with chains and put him in prison.
4 For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
5 When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
Herod wanted to have John executed, but he was afraid that the people [who had accepted what John taught would riot if he did that], because they believed that John was a prophet.
6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
But when Herod [gave a party to celebrate] his birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for [his guests]. This pleased Herod.
7 Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.
So he promised to give her whatever she asked, and he asked God to punish him if he did not do what he had promised.
8 She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
[So Herodias’ daughter went and asked her mother what to ask for]. Her mother told her to ask for John the Baptizer’s head. [So] her daughter [went back and] said [to Herod]: “[Cut off] the head of John the Baptizer and [please] bring it here on a platter [so that my mother can know for sure that he is dead!]”
9 The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,
The king was distressed because he now knew he should not have made that promise to her. [But] because he had made an oath [in front of] his guests [when he made that promise], and [he did not want] them [to think that he would not do what he had promised], he commanded that [the girl] be given [what she requested].
10 and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
He sent [the executioner to go to] the prison and to cut off John’s head.
11 His head was brought on a platter and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother.
[The executioner did that, and] put John’s head on a platter and gave it to the girl. Then the girl took it to her mother.
12 His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
John’s disciples then went [to the prison], took John’s body and buried it, and they reported to Jesus [what had happened].
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.
After Jesus heard that, he took [just us disciples] with him and we went by boat [on Galilee Lake to an uninhabited place]. Matthew 14:13-21 After the crowds heard [that we had gone to an uninhabited place], they [left their towns and] followed Jesus, walking along the shore.
14 Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
When Jesus came [to the shore], he saw a large crowd of people [who had gathered there, waiting for him]. He felt sorry for them, and he healed those [among them who were] sick.
15 When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”
When it was [nearly] evening, we disciples came to him and said, “This is a place where nobody lives, and it is very late. Dismiss the crowds so that they can go into the [nearby] towns. [Have them do that so that they can] buy food for themselves.”
16 But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
But Jesus said to us, “They do not need to leave [to get food. Instead], you [yourselves] give them something to eat!”
17 They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.”
We said to him, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two [cooked] fish here!”
18 He said, “Bring them here to me.”
He said [to us], “Bring them to me!”
19 He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
He told the people [who had gathered there] to sit on the grass. Then he took the five flat loaves and the two fish. He looked up toward heaven, thanked [God for them], and broke [them into pieces]. Then he gave them to us disciples, and we distributed them to the crowd.
20 They all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
All [the people in the crowd] ate until they had enough to eat. Then we [disciples] gathered the pieces that were left over, [and we] filled twelve baskets with them.
21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.
Those who ate were about 5,000 men. [We did] not [count the] women and children!
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
Right after that happened, Jesus told us disciples to get in the boat and to go ahead of him further around [the lake] while he dismissed the crowds.
23 After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
After he dismissed them, he went up into the hills to pray by himself. When it was evening, he was [still] there alone.
24 But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
[By this time] we were already many hundred meters from the shore. The boat was being severely tossed around by the waves {The waves were severely tossing the boat} because the wind was [blowing] against [it].
25 In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.
[Then Jesus came down from the hills to the lake]. Some time between three and six o’clock in the morning he walked on the water toward our [boat].
26 When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out for fear.
When we disciples saw someone walking on the water, we thought that [we must be seeing] a ghost. We were terrified, and we screamed out because we were afraid.
27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.”
Immediately Jesus said to us, “Cheer up! It is I. Do not be afraid!”
28 Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.”
Peter said to him, “Lord, if it is you, tell me to walk on the water to you!”
29 He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.
Then Jesus said, “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
30 But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
But when Peter looked at the [tossing waves which] the strong wind [caused], he became afraid. He began to sink, and cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and grabbed him. He said to Peter, “You only trust a little bit [in my power] (Why did you doubt [that I could keep you from sinking]?/You should not have doubted [that I could keep you from sinking]!) [RHQ]”
32 When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.
Then Jesus and Peter got in the boat, and the wind [immediately] stopped blowing.
33 Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
All [of us disciples] who were in the boat worshipped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the (Son of/man two is also) God!”
34 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
When we had gone further around [the lake in the boat], we came ashore at Gennesaret [town].
35 When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all that surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick;
The men of that area recognized Jesus. So they sent [people to inform those who lived] in that whole surrounding region [MTY] [that Jesus was in their area]. [So the people] brought to Jesus all the sick people [who lived in that region].
36 and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.
[The sick people] kept begging him to allow them to touch [him or] just to touch the edge of his robe [so that they would be healed]. And all who touched [him or his robe] were healed {he healed all who touched [him or his clothing]}.
