For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Now Herodias laid snares for him, and was desirous to put him to death, and could not; for Herod feared the people, because they held John for a prophet; and he feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man, and kept him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him willingly.

And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper on his birthday for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee. And when the daughter* of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel, Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee. And he swore to her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom. And when she was gone out, she said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said, The head of John the Baptist. And immediately she came in with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish the head of John the Baptist.

And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her; but sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish. And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.

And his disciples hearing it, came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb; and they came and told

Jesus.

* Her name was Salome, daughter of Herodias by Herod Philip.

SECT. LI. THE APOSTLES RETURN TO JESUS. HE RETIRES WITH THEM TO THE DESERT AND FEEDS THE FIVE THOUSAND.

And the apostles coming together unto Jesus related to him all things that they had done and taught.

Desert of

And he said to them, Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were Bethsaida. many coming and going; and they had not so much as time to eat. And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart across the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

And the multitudes saw them going away, and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them. And when Jesus went out, he saw a great multitude; and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and receiving them, he began to teach them many things, speaking to them of the kingdom of God, and healing those that had need of healing.

Now the passover,* the festival-day of the Jews, was near at hand. When Jesus therefore had lifted up his eyes, and seen that a very great multitude cometh to him, he said to Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to try him; for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that everyone may take a little.

And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the hour is now past: send them away, that going into the next villages and towns, they may buy themselves meat to eat. And he answered and said to them, They have no need to go away: give ye them to eat. And

*This was the third of our Lord's public life.

This is the only miracle narrated by all four Evangelists.

they said to him, Shall we go and buy bread for two hundred pence, and give them to eat?

And he saith to them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, saith to him, There is a boy here that hath five barley loaves and two fishes; but what are these among so many?

Then Jesus said, Bring them hither. And he commanded that the multitudes should sit down in companies of fifty. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had looked up to heaven, he gave thanks, and distributed to them that were sat down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would. And when they were filled, he said to his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, lest they be lost. They gathered up therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which remained over and above to them that had eaten.

Now those men, when they had seen what a miracle Jesus had done, said, This is of a truth the prophet that was to come into the world.

SECT. LII. JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA, AND RETURNS TO
CAPHARNAUM.

Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force and make him a king, immediately obliged his disciples to go up into the ship, that they might go before him over the water to Bethsaida,* whilst he dismissed the people. And when he had dismissed them he went up alone to the mountain to pray.

* I.e. the town of Bethsaida, which was on the west side of the lake.

And when evening was come, his disciples went down to the sea. And when they had gone up into a ship, they went over the sea to Capharnaum; and it was now dark, and Jesus was not come unto them. And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew, and he was alone on the land. And seeing them labouring in rowing (for the wind was against them), about the fourth watch of the night he cometh to them walking upon the sea, and he would have passed by them.

But when they saw him walking upon the sea they thought it was an apparition, and they cried out; for they all saw him and were troubled. And immediately he spake with them, and said to them, Be of good heart: it is I; fear ye not.

And Peter making answer, said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me to come to thee upon the water. And he said, Come. And Peter, going down out of the ship, walked upon the water to come to Jesus; but seeing the wind strong, he was afraid, and when he began to sink he cried out, saying, Lord, save me.

And immediately Jesus stretching forth his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt? And they would receive him into the ship; and when he was come up to them the wind ceased, and presently the ship was at the land to which they were going. And they were out of measure astonished within themselves; for they considered not the miracle of the loaves, for their hearts were hardened. And they came and adored him, saying, Indeed thou art the Son of God.

And having passed the water, they came into the country of Gennesaret.

And when they were gone out of the ship, immediately the people knew him, and running through that whole country, they began to carry about in beds those that were sick where they heard he was; and whithersoever he entered, into towns or into villages

or cities, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch but the hem of his garment; and as many as touched him were made whole.

SECT. LIII. JESUS MEETS THE MULTITUDE AT CAPHARNAUM, AND DISCOURSES ON THE HOLY EUCHARIST.

But the next day the multitude that had stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other ship there but one, and that Jesus had not entered into the ship with his disciples, but that his disciples were gone away alone (although other ships came in from Tiberias, nigh unto the place where they had eaten the bread, the Lord giving thanks). When therefore the multitude saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they took shipping and came to Capharnaum. Capharnaum seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

Jesus answered them and said, Amen, amen, I say to you, ye seek me, not because ye have seen miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto life everlasting, which the Son of man will give you; for him hath God the Father sealed.

They said therefore unto him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?

Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that ye believe in him whom he hath

sent.

They said therefore to him, What sign then dost thou show, that we may see, and may believe thee? what dost thou work? Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat (Ps. lxxvii. 24).

Then Jesus said to them, Amen, amen, I say to