1 At the time Herod the Tetrarch heard the fame of Jesus. 2 And he said to his servants: This is John the Baptist: he is risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him. 3 For Herod had apprehended John and bound him, and put him into prison, because of Herodias, his brother’s wife. 4 For John said to him: It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And having a mind to put him to death, he feared the people: because they esteemed him as a prophet. 6 But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them: and pleased Herod. 7 Whereupon he promised with an oath, to give her whatsoever she would ask of him. 8 But she being instructed before by her mother, said: Give me here in a dish the head of John the Baptist. 9 And the king was struck sad: yet because of his oath, and for them that sat with him at table, he commanded it to be given. 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a dish: and it was given to the damsel, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body, and buried it, and came and told Jesus. 13 Which when Jesus had heard, he retired from thence by boat, into a desert place apart, and the multitudes having heard of it, followed him on foot out of the cities. 14 And he coming forth saw a great multitude, and had compassion on them, and healed their sick. 15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying: This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send away the multitudes, that going into the towns, they may buy themselves victuals. 16 But Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give you them to eat. 17 They answered him: We have not here, but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 He said to them: Bring them hither to me. 19 And when he had commanded the multitudes to sit down upon the grass, he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 20 And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up what remained, twelve full baskets of fragments. 21 And the number of them that did eat, was five thousand men, besides women and children. 22 And forthwith Jesus obliged his disciples to go up into the boat, and to go before him over the water, till he dismissed the people. 23 And having dismissed the multitude, he went into a mountain alone to pray. And when it was evening, he was there alone. 24 But the boat in the midst of the sea was tossed with the waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night, he came to them walking upon the sea. 26 And they seeing him walk upon the sea, were troubled, saying: It is an apparition. And they cried out for fear. 27 And immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying: Be of good heart: it is I, fear ye not. 28 And Peter making answer, said: Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee upon the waters. 29 And he said: Come. And Peter going down out of the boat, walked upon the water to come to Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind strong, he was afraid: and when he began to sink, he cried out, saying: Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand took hold of him, and said to him: O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And they that were in the boat came and adored him, saying: Indeed thou art the Son of God. 34 And having passed the water, they came into the country of Genesar. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent into all that country, and brought to him all that were diseased. 36 And they besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment. And as many as touched, were made whole.
Matthew · Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Matthew 14 Douay-Rheims (Challoner), American Edition 1899
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Herodias
Previously the wife of Herod's brother Philip, whom Herod married, and for whom John the Baptist rebuked him; she bore a grudge against John and sought his death.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 14:3; Mark 6:17; Mark 6:19
John the Baptist
Son of Zechariah, who preached in the wilderness and baptized in the Jordan, pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God, rebuked Herod over Herodias and was imprisoned and beheaded.
Cited in the guide: Matthew 3:1; Matthew 14:3; Luke 1:13
Cross references (35)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Luke 3:1; Mark 8:15; Mark 6:14–29; Luke 9:7–9; Acts 4:27
- 2 John 10:41; Matthew 16:14; Mark 8:28; Matthew 11:11
- 3 Mark 6:17; Luke 3:19–20; Matthew 4:12; Mark 6:19; Matthew 11:2
- 4 Leviticus 20:21; Leviticus 18:16; Mark 6:18; Proverbs 28:1; Deuteronomy 25:5–6
- 5 Matthew 21:32; Matthew 11:9; Matthew 21:26; Mark 14:1–2; Mark 6:19–20
- 6 Mark 6:21–23; Hosea 1:5–6; Genesis 40:20; Matthew 22:24; Esther 1:2–12
- 7 Esther 5:6; Esther 5:3; Esther 7:2
- 8 Proverbs 29:10; Mark 6:24; 1 Kings 18:13; 2 Chronicles 22:2–3; 2 Kings 11:1
- 9 John 19:12–16; Mark 6:14; Mark 6:26; Ecclesiastes 5:2; Daniel 6:14–16
- 10 Revelation 11:7; Luke 9:9; Matthew 17:12; Mark 6:27–29; Jeremiah 2:30
- 11 Revelation 16:6; Revelation 17:6; Jeremiah 22:17; Ezekiel 19:2–3; Ezekiel 16:3–4
- 12 Acts 8:2; Matthew 27:58–61
- 13 Luke 9:10–17; Matthew 14:1–2; Mark 6:30–44; John 6:1–15; Matthew 12:15
- 14 Hebrews 4:15; Matthew 9:36; Hebrews 2:17; Matthew 15:32–39; John 11:33–35
- 15 Matthew 15:23; Mark 8:3; Mark 6:35–36; Luke 9:12
- 16 2 Kings 4:42–44; 2 Corinthians 8:2–3; Ecclesiastes 11:2; John 13:29; Proverbs 11:24
- 17 John 6:5–9; Matthew 15:33–34; Mark 6:37–38; Luke 9:13; Mark 8:4–5
- 19 Mark 8:6–7; 1 Samuel 9:13; Luke 24:30; 1 Timothy 4:4–5; Mark 6:41
- 20 Exodus 16:12; 1 Kings 17:12–16; Mark 6:42–44; Matthew 16:8–10; Exodus 16:8
- 21 Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 9:8–11; Acts 4:4; John 6:10; Acts 4:34
- 22 Mark 6:45–51; John 6:15–21; Matthew 15:39
- 23 Luke 6:12; Mark 6:46; Matthew 26:36; John 6:15–17; Matthew 6:6
- 24 Mark 6:48; John 6:18; Matthew 8:24; Isaiah 54:11
- 25 Job 9:8; John 6:19; Mark 6:48; Psalm 104:3; Matthew 24:43
- 26 Revelation 1:17; Luke 1:11–12; Mark 6:49–50; Daniel 10:6–12; Job 4:14–16
- 27 John 16:33; Revelation 1:17–18; Acts 23:11; Isaiah 41:10; Isaiah 41:4
- 28 John 6:68; Romans 12:3; Matthew 26:33–35; John 13:36–38; Matthew 19:27
- 29 Philippians 4:13; Mark 9:23; Acts 3:16; Luke 17:6; Mark 11:22–23
- 30 Lamentations 3:54–57; 2 Timothy 4:16–17; Mark 14:38; Matthew 8:24–25; Jonah 2:2–7
- 31 James 1:6–8; Psalm 138:7; Genesis 22:14; Matthew 8:26; Matthew 17:20
- 32 Psalm 107:29–30; Mark 4:41; Mark 6:51; John 6:21
- 33 Psalm 2:7; John 11:27; Romans 1:4; John 1:49; Mark 1:1
- 34 Mark 6:53–56; Luke 5:1; John 6:24–25
- 35 Matthew 4:24–25; Mark 2:1–12; Mark 3:8–10; Mark 6:55; Mark 1:28–34
- 36 Luke 6:19; Acts 19:11–12; Matthew 9:20–21; Acts 3:16; Mark 3:10
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
The lesson of the Gospel which we have just heard is a lesson of humility to us all, that we may see and know where we are, and whither we must tend and hasten. For that ship which carries the disciples, which was tossed in the waves by a contrary wind, is not without its meaning.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
See Him on every occasion "departing," For not by His appearance only, but by His actions He would have this confirmed, because He knew the devil's craft, and that he would leave nothing undone to destroy this doctrine.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Soter is a name of five letters; Pater, too, contains five letters; Agape (love), too, consists of five letters; and our Lord, after blessing the five loaves, fed with them five thousand men.
Nevertheless after He was come up into the ship, they who were being borne in her, came saying, "Of a truth Thou art the Son of God." But before this plain discovery of Himself they were troubled, saying, "It is a phantom." But He coming up into the ship took away the fluctuation of mind from their hearts, when they …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
"At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus." For Herod the king, this man's father, he that slew the children, was dead.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)