A Prophet Without Honor
1Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,6:3 Greek Joses, a variant of Joseph Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.
8These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
12They went out and preached that people should repent. 13They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
John the Baptist Beheaded
14King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,6:14 Some early manuscripts He was saying “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
15Others said, “He is Elijah.”
And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.”
16But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
17For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled6:20 Some early manuscripts he did many things; yet he liked to listen to him.
21Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22When the daughter of6:22 Some early manuscripts When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.
The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”
24She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”
“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.
25At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
26The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
32So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
35By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages6:37 Greek take two hundred denarii! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
38“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
39Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42They all ate and were satisfied, 43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Jesus Walks on the Water
45Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50because they all saw him and were terrified.
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
53When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Um profeta sem honra
(Mt 13.54-58; Lc 4.16-30)
1Logo depois disto, Jesus saiu daquela parte do país e voltou com os discípulos para a sua terra. 2No sábado seguinte, foi à sinagoga e começou a ensinar. Ao ouvirem-no, muitos ficaram admirados com a sua sabedoria e milagres. E diziam: “De onde lhe veio toda esta sabedoria? Como pode realizar tais milagres com as próprias mãos? 3Não é ele o carpinteiro, filho de Maria? Não é irmão de Tiago, José, Judas e Simão? E as suas irmãs não moram aqui mesmo, nesta localidade?” E estavam escandalizados com ele. 4Então Jesus disse-lhes: “Um profeta é honrado em qualquer lugar menos na sua terra, entre o seus parentes e no meio da própria casa.” 5Por não acreditarem nele, Jesus não pôde fazer ali nenhum grande milagre, a não ser colocar as mãos sobre alguns doentes e curá-los. 6Jesus estava admirado por causa da falta de fé deles.
Jesus envia os doze discípulos
(Mt 10.1, 9-14; Lc 9.1-6)
E andava pelas aldeias em redor a ensinar. 7Chamou os doze discípulos, começou a enviá-los dois a dois e deu-lhes autoridade sobre os espíritos impuros. 8Disse-lhes: “Nada levem convosco a não ser o bordão; nem comida, nem saco de viagem, nem dinheiro de cobre à cintura; 9sandálias, só as que tiverem nos pés, e nem mesmo uma muda de roupa.” 10E acrescentou: “Sempre que entrarem numa casa, fiquem nela até à vossa partida. 11Se uma qualquer localidade não vos receber nem ouvir, sacudam a poeira dos vossos pés, quando saírem, como testemunho de que abandonaram essa terra à sua própria sorte.”
12Então os discípulos partiram, incitando todos os que encontravam a abandonarem o pecado. 13Expulsaram muitos demónios e curaram muitos doentes, ungindo-os com azeite.
João Batista é degolado
(Mt 14.1-12; Lc 9.7-9)
14Não tardou que o rei Herodes ouvisse falar de Jesus, cujos milagres eram contados com espanto em toda a parte. Algumas pessoas declaravam que era João Batista que tinha voltado à vida. Por isso, diziam: “Não admira que possa fazer tais milagres!”
15Havia gente também que pensava que Jesus fosse Elias; outros, ainda, afirmavam que era um novo profeta igual aos do passado. 16Herodes, ao tomar conhecimento destes factos, disse: “Não! É João, a quem degolei. Ressuscitou dentre os mortos!”
17-19Porque Herodes mandara soldados meter João no cárcere, por andar sempre a dizer que não estava certo este casar-se com Herodíade, mulher de Filipe, irmão do próprio rei. Para se vingar, Herodíade queria que João fosse morto; mas sem a aprovação de Herodes nada podia fazer. 20Porque Herodes respeitava João, sabendo que era um homem justo e santo e protegia-o. Sempre que falava com João, Herodes ficava preocupado, mas gostava de ouvi-lo.
21Até que, por fim, chegou a oportunidade que Herodíade esperava. Herodes fazia anos e dera uma festa para a gente do palácio, para os oficiais do exército e para as pessoas importantes da Galileia. 22A certa altura, entrou a filha de Herodíade que dançou na presença dos convidados e agradou a todos. 23“Pede-me o que quiseres”, prometeu o rei, “que eu dou-te nem que seja metade do meu reino.”
24Ouvindo isto, ela saiu para se aconselhar junto da mãe, que lhe disse: “Pede-lhe a cabeça de João Batista!”
25Então voltou à presença do rei: “Dá-me a cabeça de João Batista numa bandeja!”
26O rei ficou muito triste com o pedido, mas teve vergonha de quebrar o juramento diante dos convidados. 27Mandou então um membro da sua guarda pessoal à prisão cortar a cabeça de João e trazê-la. O soldado matou João no cárcere 28e trouxe a sua cabeça numa bandeja, entregando-a à jovem, que a levou à mãe. 29Quando os discípulos de João souberam o que tinha acontecido, foram buscar o corpo e sepultaram-no num túmulo.
Jesus alimenta 5000 homens
(Mt 14.13-21; Lc 9.10-17; Jo 6.1-13)
30Por fim, os apóstolos voltaram da sua viagem. Foram ter com Jesus e contaram-lhe tudo o que tinham feito e como tinham falado às populações visitadas.
31Jesus disse-lhes: “Saiamos por um pouco do meio do povo para descansar.” Pois era tanta a gente que ia e vinha que mal tinham tempo para comer. 32E saíram de barco para um sítio mais sossegado. 33Contudo, muitos aperceberam-se disso e, correndo pela praia, foram esperá-los no ponto de desembarque. 34Quando Jesus saiu do barco, já lá se encontrava uma enorme multidão; teve compaixão deles, porque eram como ovelhas sem pastor e ensinou-lhes muitas coisas que precisavam de saber.
35Como a hora já fosse bastante avançada, os discípulos foram ter com Jesus e disseram: 36“Este lugar é deserto e a hora já vai avançada. Manda o povo retirar-se, para ir às aldeias e campos dos arredores comprar alguma coisa para comer.”
37Jesus respondeu: “Deem-lhes vocês de comer.” Responderam: “Como? Seria preciso duzentas moedas de prata6.37 Ver nota a Mt 20.2. para comprar comida para tanta gente!”
38“Quanta comida temos? Vão ver.” Eles voltaram, dizendo que havia cinco pães e dois peixes. 39Então Jesus disse à multidão que se sentasse. E sentaram-se, na erva verde, 40em grupos de cinquenta ou cem. 41E tomando os cinco pães e os dois peixes, Jesus ergueu os olhos para o céu e abençoou-os. Depois, partiu os pães em pedaços e deu-os aos discípulos, para que os oferecessem ao povo. E distribuiu também os dois peixes entre todos. 42Todos comeram até ficarem satisfeitos. 43E quando os sobejos foram recolhidos, as sobras dos peixes enchiam doze cestos. 44O número de homens que comeu foi de 5000.
Jesus anda sobre as águas
45Logo a seguir, Jesus mandou os discípulos voltar para o barco e partir à sua frente, atravessando o lago até Betsaida, enquanto ele tratava de mandar a multidão embora. 46Depois disto, Jesus subiu à montanha para orar.
47Caiu a noite, o barco já estava no meio do lago e ele ainda se encontrava sozinho em terra. 48Jesus viu que remavam com dificuldades, pois o vento soprava em sentido contrário. Por volta das quatro horas da madrugada, foi ter com eles, a caminhar sobre a água, e ia passar-lhes adiante. 49Ao verem-no caminhar sobre a água, gritaram de terror, pensando que fosse um fantasma. 50Todos o viam e ficaram inquietos. Imediatamente ele lhes disse: “Está tudo bem, sou eu, não tenham medo!” 51Então subiu para o barco e o vento cessou.
Os discípulos ficaram ali sentados, de boca aberta, sem compreender o que se passara. 52Porque ainda não tinham percebido quem Jesus realmente era, nem mesmo depois do milagre da tarde anterior. Os seus corações estavam endurecidos.
53Quando chegaram a Genezaré, do outro lado do lago, amarraram o barco. 54Mal desembarcaram, os habitantes reconheceram-no logo. 55Percorriam toda a região, começando a trazer-lhe os doentes em esteiras e padiolas. 56Aonde quer que fosse, aldeias, cidades e campo, punham os doentes nas praças e ruas, pedindo que os deixasse ao menos tocar na borda da sua roupa. E todos os que lhe tocavam ficavam curados.
