Matthew 14

How John the Baptist Was Killed

1 At that time Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard the reports about Jesus.

2 So he said to his servants, “Jesus is John the Baptist, who has risen from the dead. That is why he can work these miracles.”
3 Sometime before this, Herod had arrested John, tied him up, and put him into prison. Herod did this because of Herodias, who had been the wife of Philip, Herod’s brother.4 John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to be married to Herodias.”

5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they believed John was a prophet.
6 On Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod and his guests, and she pleased him.7 So he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted.8 Herodias told her daughter what to ask for, so she said to Herod, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”9 Although King Herod was very sad, he had made a promise, and his dinner guests had heard him. So Herod ordered that what she asked for be done.10 He sent soldiers to the prison to cut off John’s head.11 And they brought it on a platter and gave it to the girl, and she took it to her mother.

12 John’s followers came and got his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

More than Five Thousand Fed

13 When Jesus heard what had happened to John, he left in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself. But the crowds heard about it and followed him on foot from the towns.

14 When he arrived, he saw a great crowd waiting. He felt sorry for them and healed those who were sick.

15 When it was evening, his followers came to him and said, “No one lives in this place, and it is already late. Send the people away so they can go to the towns and buy food for themselves.”

16 But Jesus answered, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

17 They said to him, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish.”
18 Jesus said, “Bring the bread and the fish to me.”19 Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking to heaven, he thanked God for the food. Jesus divided the bread and gave it to his followers, who gave it to the people.20 All the people ate and were satisfied. Then the followers filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of food.

21 There were about five thousand men there who ate, not counting women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Water

22 Immediately Jesus told his followers to get into the boat and go ahead of him across the lake. He stayed there to send the people home.23 After he had sent them away, he went by himself up into the hills to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone.

24 By this time, the boat was already far away from land. It was being hit by waves, because the wind was blowing against it.
25 Between three and six o’clock in the morning, Jesus came to them, walking on the water.

26 When his followers saw him walking on the water, they were afraid. They said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus quickly spoke to them, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”

28 Peter said, “Lord, if it is really you, then command me to come to you on the water.”

29 Jesus said, “Come.”
And Peter left the boat and walked on the water to Jesus.

30 But when Peter saw the wind and the waves, he became afraid and began to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. Jesus said, “Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?”
32 After they got into the boat, the wind became calm.

33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the Son of God!”
34 When they had crossed the lake, they came to shore at Gennesaret.35 When the people there recognized Jesus, they told people all around there that Jesus had come, and they brought all their sick to him.36 They begged Jesus to let them touch just the edge of his coat, and all who touched it were healed.

Matthew 15

Obey God’s Law

1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem. They asked him,

2 “Why don’t your followers obey the unwritten laws which have been handed down to us? They don’t wash their hands before they eat.”
3 Jesus answered, “And why do you refuse to obey God’s command so that you can follow your own teachings? 4 God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ 5 But you say a person can tell his father or mother, ‘I have something I could use to help you, but I have given it to God already.’ 6 You teach that person not to honor his father or his mother. You rejected what God said for the sake of your own rules.

7 You are hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he said about you:

8 ‘These people show honor to me with words, but their hearts are far from me.

9 Their worship of me is worthless. The things they teach are nothing but human rules.’ ” t
10 After Jesus called the crowd to him, he said, “Listen and understand what I am saying.

11 It is not what people put into their mouths that makes them unclean. It is what comes out of their mouths that makes them unclean.”

12 Then his followers came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees are angry because of what you said?”
13 Jesus answered, “Every plant that my Father in heaven has not planted himself will be pulled up by the roots. 14 Stay away from the Pharisees; they are blind leaders. 

15 Peter said, “Explain the example to us.”
16 Jesus said, “Do you still not understand? 17 Surely you know that all the food that enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then goes out of the body. 18 But what people say with their mouths comes from the way they think; these are the things that make people unclean. 19 Out of the mind come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual sins, stealing, lying, and speaking evil of others.

20 These things make people unclean; eating with unwashed hands does not make them unclean.”

Jesus Helps a Non-Jewish Woman

21 Jesus left that place and went to the area of Tyre and Sidon.

22 A Canaanite woman from that area came to Jesus and cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter has a demon, and she is suffering very much.”

23 But Jesus did not answer the woman. So his followers came to Jesus and begged him, “Tell the woman to go away. She is following us and shouting.”

24 Jesus answered, “God sent me only to the lost sheep, the people of Israel.”

25 Then the woman came to Jesus again and bowed before him and said, “Lord, help me!”

26 Jesus answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs.”

27 The woman said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered, “Woman, you have great faith! I will do what you asked.” And at that moment the woman’s daughter was healed.

Jesus Heals Many People

29 After leaving there, Jesus went along the shore of Lake Galilee. He went up on a hill and sat there.
30 Great crowds came to Jesus, bringing with them the lame, the blind, the crippled, those who could not speak, and many others. They put them at Jesus’ feet, and he healed them.

31 The crowd was amazed when they saw that people who could not speak before were now able to speak. The crippled were made strong. The lame could walk, and the blind could see. And they praised the God of Israel for this.

More than Four Thousand Fed

32 Jesus called his followers to him and said, “I feel sorry for these people, because they have already been with me three days, and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry. They might faint while going home.”

33 His followers asked him, “How can we get enough bread to feed all these people? We are far away from any town.”

34 Jesus asked, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
35 Jesus told the people to sit on the ground.36 He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he divided the food and gave it to his followers, and they gave it to the people.37 All the people ate and were satisfied. Then his followers filled seven baskets with the leftover pieces of food.38 There were about four thousand men there who ate, besides women and children.39 After sending the people home, Jesus got into the boat and went to the area of Magadan.

Matthew 16

The Leaders Ask for a Miracle

1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus, wanting to trick him. So they asked him to show them a miracle from God.
2 Jesus answered, 3 And in the morning you say that it will be a rainy day, because the sky is dark and red. You see these signs in the sky and know what they mean. In the same way, you see the things that I am doing now, but you don’t know their meaning. 4 Evil and sinful people ask for a miracle as a sign, but they will not be given any sign, except the sign of Jonah.” 

Guard Against Wrong Teachings

5 Jesus’ followers went across the lake, but they had forgotten to bring bread.

6 Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

7 His followers discussed the meaning of this, saying, “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.”
8 Knowing what they were talking about, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about not having bread? Your faith is small. 9 Do you still not understand? Remember the five loaves of bread that fed the five thousand? And remember that you filled many baskets with the leftovers? 10 Or the seven loaves of bread that fed the four thousand and the many baskets you filled then also? 11 I was not talking to you about bread. Why don’t you understand that? I am telling you to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”

12 Then the followers understood that Jesus was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in bread but to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Peter Says Jesus Is the Christ

13 When Jesus came to the area of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his followers, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

14 They answered, “Some say you are John the Baptist. Others say you are Elijah, and still others say you are Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 Then Jesus asked them, “And who do you say I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered, “You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah, because no person taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. 18 So I tell you, you are Peter. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; the things you don’t allow on earth will be the things that God does not allow, and the things you allow on earth will be the things that God allows.”

20 Then Jesus warned his followers not to tell anyone he was the Christ.

Jesus Says that He Must Die

21 From that time on Jesus began telling his followers that he must go to Jerusalem, where the Jewish elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law would make him suffer many things. He told them he must be killed and then be raised from the dead on the third day.

22 Peter took Jesus aside and told him not to talk like that. He said, “God save you from those things, Lord! Those things will never happen to you!”
23 Then Jesus said to Peter, “Go away from me, Satan! 24 Then Jesus said to his followers, “If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing even to give up their lives to follow me. 25 Those who want to save their lives will give up true life, and those who give up their lives for me will have true life. 26 It is worthless to have the whole world if they lose their souls. They could never pay enough to buy back their souls. 27 The Son of Man will come again with his Father’s glory and with his angels. At that time, he will reward them for what they have done. 28 I tell you the truth, some people standing here will see the Son of Man coming with his kingdom before they die.”