- At that time, Herod, the tetrarch, heard of the fame of Jesus and said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him. For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake (his brother Philip’s wife); for John said unto him, It is not lawful for you to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude because they counted him as a prophet.
- But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask. And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a dish. And the king was sorry; nevertheless, for the oath’s sake, and them that sat with him at a meal, he commanded it to be given. And he sent and beheaded John in the prison. And his head was brought in a dish and given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
- When Jesus heard that John was beheaded, he departed from there by ship into a solitary place, apart; and when the people had heard of him, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
- And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a solitary place, and the time is now past. Send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves provisions. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart. Give them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves and two fishes. He said, Bring them here to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and he took the five loaves and the two fishes and, looking up to Heaven, he blessed, and broke, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up of the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
- And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship and to go before him unto the other side while he sent the multitudes away. And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray; and when the evening came, he was there alone.
- But the ship was now in the middle of the sea, tossed with the waves, for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit. And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I. Be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is you, bid me come unto you on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me! And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said unto him, O you of little faith, why did you doubt? And when they had come into the ship, the wind ceased. Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Truly, you are the Son of God.
- And when they had gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased, and implored him that they might only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.
- Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees who were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But he answered and said unto them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? For God commanded, saying, Honor your father and mother, and he that curses father or mother, let him die the death which Moses shall appoint. But you say, Whoever shall say to father or mother, By whatever you might be profited by me, it is a gift from me — and honor not his father or his mother — it is well. Thus have you made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. O you hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, This people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching the doctrines and the commandments of men.
- And he called the multitude and said unto them, Hear, and understand: not that which goes into the mouth defiles the man, but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles the man. Then came his disciples and said unto him, Do you know that the Pharisees were offended after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant which my Heavenly Father has not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind, and if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
- Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are you also yet without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly and is cast into the waste? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart, and they defile the man; for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness, blasphemies — these are things which defile a man. But to eat with unwashed hands defiles not a man.
- Then Jesus went from there and departed into the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same region and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, you son of David! My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and implored him, saying, Send her away, for she cries after us. He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is your faith; be it unto you even as you desire. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
- And Jesus departed from there, and came near to the Sea of Galilee, and went up into a mountain and sat down there. And great multitudes came unto him, having with them some lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet. And he healed them, insomuch that the multitude wondered when they saw the dumb to speak and the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk and the blind to see. And they glorified the God of Israel.
- Then Jesus called his disciples and said, I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat, and I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way. And his disciples say unto him, From where should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus said unto them, How many loaves do you have? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke the bread, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat and were filled. And they took up of the broken food seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, besides women and children.
- And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.
- The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and testing Jesus, desired of him that he would show them a sign from Heaven. And he answered and said unto them, When it is evening you say, The weather is fair, for the sky is red; and in the morning you say, The weather is foul today, for the sky is red and overcast. O hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot tell the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there shall no sign be given unto it but the sign of the prophet Jonah. And he left them and departed.
- And when his disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, He said this because we have taken no bread. And when they reasoned among themselves, Jesus perceived it. And he said unto them, O you of little faith, why reason you among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? How is it that you do not understand that I spoke not unto you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understood they that he bid them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Chapter 8