Dual Panel1When Herod Antipas heard about Jesus,
2he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist come back to life again! That is why he can do such miracles."
3For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod’s brother Philip).
4John kept telling Herod, "It is illegal for you to marry her."
5Herod would have executed John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.
6But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias’s daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,
7so he promised with an oath to give her anything she wanted.
8At her mother’s urging, the girl asked, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!"
9The king was sorry, but because of his oath and because he didn’t want to back down in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.
10So John was beheaded in the prison,
11and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.
12John’s disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they told Jesus what had happened.
13As soon as Jesus heard the news, he went off by himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed by land from many villages.
14A vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and it is getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."
16But Jesus replied, "That isn’t necessary––you feed them."
17"Impossible!" they exclaimed. "We have only five loaves of bread and two fish!"
18"Bring them here," he said.
19Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. And he took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and asked God’s blessing on the food. Breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave some of the bread and fish to each disciple, and the disciples gave them to the people.
20They all ate as much as they wanted, and they picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.
21About five thousand men had eaten from those five loaves, in addition to all the women and children!
22Immediately after this, Jesus made his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake while he sent the people home.
23Afterward he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.
25About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water.
26When the disciples saw him, they screamed in terror, thinking he was a ghost.
27But Jesus spoke to them at once. "It’s all right," he said. "I am here! Don’t be afraid."
28Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you by walking on water."
29"All right, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.
30But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.
31Instantly Jesus reached out his hand and grabbed him. "You don’t have much faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"
32And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.
33Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.
34After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret.
35The news of their arrival spread quickly throughout the whole surrounding area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed.
36The sick begged him to let them touch even the fringe of his robe, and all who touched it were healed.