== Fifteen ==
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'''<big><big><span style="color:red">N</span></big></big>'''ow Herodias had a grudge against John the baptizer, whom Herod had imprisoned, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly. But then a convenient day came, that Herod on his birthday made a supper for his nobles, the high officers, and the chief men of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those sitting with him. The king said to the young lady, "Ask “Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." ”
He swore to her, "Whatever “Whatever you shall ask of me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom." ”
She went out, and said to her mother, "What “What shall I ask?" ”
She said, "The “The head of John the Baptizer." ”
She came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, "I “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptizer on a platter." ”
The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he did not wish to refuse her. Immediately the king sent out a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring John’s head, and he went and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the young lady; and the young lady gave it to her mother.
At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus; King Herod heard this, and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him”, for his name had become known, and he said, “John the Baptizer has risen from the dead, and therefore these powers are at work in him.”
But Herod, when he heard this, said, “This is John, whom I beheaded. He has risen from the dead.”
When his followers heard this, they came and took up his corpse; his disciples came, and took the body, and buried it, and laid it in a tomb. Thus Herod was persuaded that John was indeed dead. Then they went and told Jesus. "When “When Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod. Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask. She, being prompted by her mother, said, ‘Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.’
"The “The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths, and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given, and he sent and beheaded John in the prison. His head was brought on a platter, and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother." ”
They testified that when they heard this they went and took the body, and buried it, and laid it in a tomb, and came and told Jesus.
He took them and withdrew from there in a boat. They went away in the boat to go to a deserted place apart by themselves, to a city called [http://bibleatlas.org/full/bethsaida.htm Bethsaida], to a desert region of the Jordan, west of the city, which is situated across from it on the east side, the other side of the Jordan river; from Capernaum a distance of about seven miles. But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities. They saw them going, and many recognized him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him at an open and deserted area on the western side of the Jordan river.
Jesus came out, and he saw a great multitude. Jesus went out, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He welcomed them, and he began to Teach them many things, spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and healed their sick, and he cured those who needed healing.
Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. The day began to wear away.
When it was late in the day, when evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”
And the twelve came and said to him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms, and lodge, and get food, for we are here in a deserted place.”
His disciples came to him, and said, “This place is deserted, and it is late in the day. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages, and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.”
But he answered them, Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
They asked him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give them something to eat?”
For they were about five thousand men.
He said, “Bring them here to me.”
Now there was much grass in that place. Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”
He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; he commanded them that everyone should sit down in groups on the green grass. He said to his disciples, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
They did so, and made them all sit down. They sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand, in addition to women and children.
And he took the five loaves and the two fish. Jesus took the loaves; and looking up to heaven, looking up to the sky, he blessed them, and broke them. He broke the loaves, and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples. And he gave the broken loaves to the disciples, gave them to the disciples, to set before the multitude. He gave to his disciples to set before them, and he divided the two broken fish among them all. And the disciples gave to the multitudes, to those who were sitting down; likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.
Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat. Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and go ahead of him to the other side of the Jordan river, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away, while he sent the multitudes away. After he had taken leave of them, after he had sent the multitudes away, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself; he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.
When evening came, it was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. His disciples went down to the sea. They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea west to [http://bibleatlas.org/full/capernaum.htm Capernaum]; from Bethsaida a distance of about seven miles. When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land.
The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, about three or four miles, and seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. About the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them. But they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid. When they saw him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him, and were troubled. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost'''!'''” and they cried out for fear.
But immediately Jesus spoke to them, he immediately spoke with them, saying, “'''I AM!''' Do not be afraid”, and he said to them, “Cheer up'''! I AM!''' Do not be afraid.”
Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.”
They said therefore to him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see and believe you? What work do you do? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written,
''':'''“ ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’ ”
Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”
Jesus said to them, “'''I AM''' the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you do not believe. All those whom the Father gives me will come to me. He who comes to me I will in no way throw out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day. This is the will of the one who sent me, that '''everyone who sees the Son''', and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “'''I AM''' the bread which came down out of heaven.” They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, ‘I have come down out of heaven?’ ”
Therefore Jesus answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets,
''':'''“ ‘They will all be taught by God.’
"Therefore everyone who hears from the Father and has learned, comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father. Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life. '''I AM''' the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die. '''I AM''' the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
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Compare the [[Conservative Bible|Conservative Bible text (conservapedia.com):]]