Matthew 14 - Easy To Read Version

¹ At that time Herod, {\cf2\super [195]} the ruler \{of Galilee\}, heard the things people said about Jesus.

² So Herod said to his servants, “This man (Jesus) is really John the Baptizer. He must have risen from death. That is why he is able to do these miracles. {\cf2\super [196]} ”

³ Before this time, Herod {\cf2\super [197]} had arrested John. {\cf2\super [198]} Herod had tied John with chains and put him into prison. Herod arrested John because of Herodias. Herodias was the wife of Philip, Herod’s brother.

⁴ Herod arrested John because John told Herod: “It is not right for you to have Herodias.”

⁵ Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people. The people believed that John was a prophet. {\cf2\super [199]}

⁶ On Herod’s {\cf2\super [200]} birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod and his group. Herod was very pleased with her.

⁷ So Herod promised that he would give her anything she wanted.

⁸ Herodias told her daughter what to ask for. So she said to Herod, “Give me the head of John the Baptizer here on this plate.”

⁹ King Herod was very sad. But he had promised to give the daughter anything she wanted. And the people eating with Herod had heard his promise. So Herod ordered that the thing she asked be done.

¹⁰ He sent men to cut off John’s head in the prison.

¹¹ And the men brought John’s head on a plate and gave it to the girl. Then the girl took the head to her mother, Herodias.

¹² John’s followers came and got his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what happened.

¹³ When Jesus heard what happened to John, {\cf2\super [201]} Jesus left in a boat. Jesus went alone to a place where there were no people. But the people heard that Jesus left. So the people left their towns and followed Jesus. They went by land to the same place Jesus went.

¹⁴ When Jesus came there, he saw many, many people there. Jesus felt sorry for them, and he healed the people that were sick.

¹⁵ Late that afternoon, the followers came to Jesus and said, “No people live in this place. And it is already late. Send the people away so they can go to the towns and buy food for themselves.”

¹⁶ Jesus answered, “The people don’t need to go away. You give them some food to eat.”

¹⁷ The followers answered, “But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish.”

¹⁸ Jesus said, “Bring the bread and the fish to me.”

¹⁹ Then Jesus told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves of bread and the two fish. Jesus looked into the sky and thanked God for the food. Then Jesus divided the loaves of bread. Jesus gave the bread to the followers, and the followers gave the bread to the people.

²⁰ All the people ate and were filled. After the people finished eating, the followers filled twelve baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten.

²¹ There were about 5,000 men there that ate. There were also women and children that ate.

²² Then Jesus made the followers get into the boat. Jesus told them to go to the other side of the lake. Jesus said that he would come later. Jesus stayed there to tell the people they could go home.

²³ After Jesus said good-bye to the people, he went up into the hills. Jesus went there alone to pray. It was late, and Jesus was there alone.

²⁴ At this time, the boat was already far away on the lake. The boat was having trouble because of the waves. The wind was blowing against it.

²⁵ Between three and six o’clock in the morning, Jesus’ followers were still in the boat. Jesus came to them. He was walking on the water.

²⁶ The followers saw Jesus walking on the water and they were afraid. They said, “It’s a ghost!” The followers shouted with fear.

²⁷ But Jesus quickly spoke to them. Jesus said, “Don’t worry! It’s me! Don’t be afraid.”

²⁸ Peter said, “Lord, if that is really you, then tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ Jesus said, “Come, Peter.”

³⁰ But while Peter was walking on the water, he saw the wind and the waves. Peter became afraid and began sinking down into the water. Peter shouted, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Then Jesus caught Peter with his hand. Jesus said, “Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?”

³² After Peter and Jesus were in the boat, the wind became calm.

³³ Then those followers in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

³⁴ After they crossed the lake, they came to the shore at Gennesaret.

³⁵ The people in that place saw Jesus. They knew who he was. So they told the other people all around there that Jesus had come. The people brought all their sick people to Jesus.

³⁶ The people begged Jesus to let them only touch his coat to be healed. And all the sick people that touched Jesus’ coat were healed.