Matthew 14

King James Version

Full text for Matthew Chapter 14

1¶ At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,

2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put [him] in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

6But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.

7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.

8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.

9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her].

10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother.

12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

13¶ When Jesus heard [of it], he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard [thereof], they followed him on foot out of the cities.

14And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

15And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

16But Jesus said unto them, ‹They need not depart; give ye them to eat.›

17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

18He said, ‹Bring them hither to me.›

19And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

20And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

21And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

22¶ And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, ‹Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.›

28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29And he said, ‹Come.› And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

31And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, ‹O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?›

32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

34¶ And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.

35And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;

36And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Herod the tetrarch, believing Jesus to be John the Baptist risen, recounts John's beheading at the request of Herodias' daughter. Following this, Jesus miraculously feeds over five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes. Later, he walks on water to his disciples during a storm, where Peter briefly attempts to join him before sinking due to doubt, and Jesus calms the wind.

Medium Summary

Matthew 14 opens with Herod's fear that Jesus is John the Baptist, whom he had imprisoned and beheaded for condemning his marriage to Herodias. John's death occurred after Herodias' daughter danced at Herod's birthday, leading to an oath and her mother's vengeful request for John's head. Upon hearing of John's death, Jesus withdrew to a desert place, but multitudes followed him, prompting his compassion to heal their sick. When evening came, Jesus miraculously fed the five thousand men, besides women and children, with only five loaves and two fishes, leaving twelve baskets of fragments. Afterward, Jesus sent his disciples across the sea while he prayed alone on a mountain. During a storm, Jesus walked on the water to them, and though Peter briefly walked towards him, he began to sink when his faith faltered. Jesus saved Peter, rebuked his doubt, and the wind ceased, leading the disciples to worship him as the Son of God. Finally, in Gennesaret, many diseased people were healed by merely touching the hem of his garment.

Long Summary

Matthew chapter 14 begins with Herod the tetrarch hearing of Jesus' fame and concluding he was John the Baptist risen from the dead, recalling John's imprisonment for rebuking Herod's unlawful marriage to Herodias, his brother Philip's wife. Herod, though fearing the multitude who esteemed John as a prophet, was compelled by an oath made during his birthday feast to Herodias' daughter, who, prompted by her mother, requested John's head on a charger. Despite his sorrow, Herod commanded John to be beheaded in prison, and his head was delivered to the damsel and then to her mother. John's disciples buried his body and informed Jesus of the event. Upon hearing of John's death, Jesus departed by ship to a desert place for solitude, but the multitudes, learning of his departure, followed him on foot from the cities. Seeing the great throng, Jesus was moved with compassion and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples urged Jesus to send the people away to buy food, but Jesus instructed them to feed the multitude themselves, despite having only five loaves and two fishes. Jesus then commanded the people to sit on the grass, blessed the food, broke it, and gave it to his disciples to distribute, resulting in all eating and being filled, with twelve baskets of fragments remaining from the approximately five thousand men, besides women and children, who had eaten. Immediately after this miracle, Jesus constrained his disciples to enter a ship and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the multitudes. He then ascended a mountain alone to pray as evening fell. The ship, meanwhile, was in the midst of the sea, tossed by contrary winds. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. The disciples, terrified, believed him to be a spirit and cried out in fear, but Jesus quickly reassured them, saying, "Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid." Peter, testing this, asked to walk to Jesus on the water, and upon Jesus' command, he did so. However, seeing the boisterous wind, Peter became afraid and began to sink, crying out for salvation. Jesus immediately stretched forth his hand, caught him, and gently rebuked him, "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" As they entered the ship, the wind ceased, and those within worshipped him, declaring, "Of a truth thou art the Son of God." Upon reaching the land of Gennesaret, the local inhabitants, recognizing Jesus, brought all their diseased to him, who were made perfectly whole by merely touching the hem of his garment.

Core Concepts

  • Herod's Oath and John's MartyrdomHerod, bound by a rash oath made during a feast, reluctantly ordered the beheading of John the Baptist at the vengeful insistence of Herodias, illustrating the tragic consequences of human weakness and malice.
  • Compassion and HealingJesus, moved by compassion for the great multitude that followed him into the desert, healed their sick and responded to their physical needs, demonstrating his divine empathy and power.
  • Miraculous FeedingWith only five loaves and two fishes, Jesus supernaturally fed over five thousand men, besides women and children, in a desert place, showcasing his ability to provide abundantly from scarcity.
  • Walking on WaterJesus demonstrated his divine authority over creation by walking on the sea to his disciples during a storm, revealing his presence and power in the midst of their distress.
  • Faith and DoubtPeter's attempt to walk on water highlights the power of faith when fixed on Christ, but also the immediate consequence of doubt when focus shifts to external circumstances, leading to sinking.
  • Divine Authority and WorshipThe disciples' declaration, "Of a truth thou art the Son of God," after Jesus calmed the storm and rescued Peter, signifies their growing understanding and worship of his divine nature and power.
  • Power of TouchIn Gennesaret, many diseased individuals were made perfectly whole simply by touching the hem of Jesus' garment, illustrating the potent and accessible nature of his healing power.