Chapter
6
She went out from there. She came into her own country, and her disciples followed her.
When the Sabbath had come, she began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing her were astonished, saying, "Where did this woman get these things?" and, "What is the wisdom that is given to this woman, that such mighty works come about by her hands?
Isn't this the carpenter, the daughter of Mary, and sister of Jamie, Joses, Judah, and Simona? Aren't her brothers here with us?" They were offended at her.
Jesus said to them, "A prophetess is not without honor, except in her own country, and among her own relatives, and in her own house."
She could do no mighty work there, except that she laid her hands on a few sick people, and healed them.
She marveled because of their unbelief. She went around the villages teaching.
She called to herself the twelve, and began to send them out two by two; and she gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
She charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a staff only: no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse,
but to wear sandals, and not put on two tunics.
She said to them, "Wherever you enter into a house, stay there until you depart from there.
Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"
They went out and preached that people should repent.
They cast out many demons, and anointed many with oil who were sick, and healed them.
Queen Heroda heard this, for her name had become known, and she said, "Johanna the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in her."
But others said, "It is Elijah." Others said, "It is the Prophetess, or like one of the prophets."
But Heroda, when she heard this, said, "This is Johanna, whom I beheaded. She has risen from the dead."
For Heroda herself had sent out and arrested Johanna, and bound her in prison for the sake of Herodias, her sister Philip's husband, for she had married him.
For Johanna said to Heroda, "It is not lawful for you to have your sister's husband."
Herodias set himself against her, and desired to kill her, but he couldn't,
for Heroda feared Johanna, knowing that she was a righteous and holy woman, and kept her safe. When she heard her, she did many things, and she heard her gladly.
Then a convenient day came, that Heroda on her birthday made a supper for her nobles, the high officers, and the chief women of Galilee.
When the son of Herodias himself came in and danced, he pleased Heroda and those sitting with her. The queen said to the young gentleman, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you."
She swore to him, "Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom."
He went out, and said to his father, "What shall I ask?" He said, "The head of Johanna the Baptizer."
He came in immediately with haste to the queen, and asked, "I want you to give me right now the head of Johanna the Baptizer on a platter."
The queen was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of her oaths, and of her dinner guests, she didn't wish to refuse him.
Immediately the queen sent out a soldier of her guard, and commanded to bring Johanna's head, and she went and beheaded her in the prison,
and brought her head on a platter, and gave it to the young gentleman; and the young gentleman gave it to his father.
When her disciples heard this, they came and took up her corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
The apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and they told her all things, whatever they had done, and whatever they had taught.
She said to them, "You come apart into a deserted place, and rest awhile." For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.
They saw them going, and many recognized her and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to her.
Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and she had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and she began to teach them many things.
When it was late in the day, her disciples came to her, and said, "This place is deserted, and it is late in the day.
Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages, and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat."
But she answered them, "You give them something to eat." They asked her, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give them something to eat?"
She said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go see." When they knew, they said, "Five, and two fish."
She commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass.
They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.
She took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, she blessed and broke the loaves, and she gave to her disciples to set before them, and she divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate, and were filled.
They took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and also of the fish.
Those who ate the loaves were five thousand women.
Immediately she made her disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while she herself sent the multitude away.
After she had taken leave of them, she went up the mountain to pray.
When evening had come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and she was alone on the land.
Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night she came to them, walking on the sea, and she would have passed by them,
but they, when they saw her walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;
for they all saw her, and were troubled. But she immediately spoke with them, and said to them, "Cheer up! It is I! Don't be afraid."
She got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled;
for they hadn't understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.
When they had come out of the boat, immediately the people recognized her,
and ran around that whole region, and began to bring those who were sick, on their mats, to where they heard she was.
Wherever she entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged her that they might touch just the fringe of her garment; and as many as touched her were made well.