1 At that time Herod the Tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 2 And said to his servants, This is John the Baptist; he hath risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him. 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put [him] in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. 4 For John had said to him, It is not lawful for thee to have her. 5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet. 6 But when Herod's birth-day was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod. 7 Upon which he promised with an oath to give her whatever she would ask. 8 And she, being before instructed by her mother, said, Give me here the head of John the Baptist in a dish. 9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the sake of the oath, and of them who sat with him at table, he commanded [it] to be given [her] . 10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. 11 And his head was brought in a dish, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother. 12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus. 13 When Jesus heard [of it] , he departed thence in a boat, into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard [of it] , they followed him on foot out of the cities. 14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion towards them, and he healed their sick. 15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals. 16 But Jesus said to them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. 17 And they say to him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. 18 He said, Bring them hither to me. 19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 20 And they all ate, and were satisfied: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. 21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 22 And immediately Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a boat, and to go before him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he ascended a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the boat was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it is thou, bid me come to thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said to him, O thou of little faith, Why didst thou doubt? 32 And when they had come into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, In truth thou art the son of God. 34 And when they had gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all the surrounding country, and brought to him all that were diseased; 36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were restored to health.
Matthew · Noah Webster's Bible (1833)
Matthew 14 Noah Webster's Bible (1833)
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)