24. Then she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for? ”“John the Baptist’s head! ” she said.
25. Immediately she hurried to the king and said, “I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head on a platter — right now! ”
26. Though the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her.
27. The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went and beheaded him in prison,
28. brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother.
29. When his disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
30. The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all that they had done and taught.
31. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
32. So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place,
33. but many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.
34. So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.
35. When it was already late, His disciples approached Him and said, “This place is a wilderness, and it is already late!
36. Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”
37. “You give them something to eat,” He responded.They said to Him, “Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat? ”
38. And He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look.”When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”
39. Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.
40. So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties.
41. Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.
42. Everyone ate and was filled.