9:1 After 1 Jesus 2 called 3 the twelve 4 together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure 5 diseases, 9:2 and he sent 6 them out to proclaim 7 the kingdom of God 8 and to heal the sick. 9 9:3 He 10 said to them, “Take nothing for your 11 journey – no staff, 12 no bag, 13 no bread, no money, and do not take an extra tunic. 14 9:4 Whatever 15 house you enter, stay there 16 until you leave the area. 17 9:5 Wherever 18 they do not receive you, 19 as you leave that town, 20 shake the dust off 21 your feet as a testimony against them.” 9:6 Then 22 they departed and went throughout 23 the villages, proclaiming the good news 24 and healing people everywhere.
9:7 Now Herod 25 the tetrarch 26 heard about everything that was happening, and he was thoroughly perplexed, 27 because some people were saying that John 28 had been raised from the dead, 9:8 while others were saying that Elijah 29 had appeared, and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had risen. 30 9:9 Herod said, “I had John 31 beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” So Herod wanted to learn about Jesus. 32
9:10 When 33 the apostles returned, 34 they told Jesus 35 everything they had done. Then 36 he took them with him and they withdrew privately to a town 37 called Bethsaida. 38 9:11 But when the crowds found out, they followed him. He 39 welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, 40 and cured those who needed healing. 41 9:12 Now the day began to draw to a close, 42 so 43 the twelve came and said to Jesus, 44 “Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging 45 and food, because we are in an isolated place.” 46 9:13 But he said to them, “You 47 give them something to eat.” They 48 replied, 49 “We have no more than five loaves and two fish – unless 50 we go 51 and buy food 52 for all these people.” 9:14 (Now about five thousand men 53 were there.) 54 Then 55 he said to his disciples, “Have 56 them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 9:15 So they did as Jesus directed, 57 and the people 58 all sat down.
9:16 Then 59 he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks 60 and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.