5. If the people in the town will not welcome you, go outside the town and shake the dust off your feet as a warning to them.”
6. So the apostles went out. They traveled through all the towns. They told the Good News and healed people everywhere.
7. Herod the ruler heard about all these things that were happening. He was confused because some people said, “John the Baptizer has risen from death.”
8. Others said, “Elijah has come to us.” And some others said, “One of the prophets from long ago has risen from death.”
9. Herod said, “I cut off John’s head. So who is this man I hear these things about?” Herod continued trying to see Jesus.
10. When the apostles came back, they told Jesus what they had done on their trip. Then he took them away to a town called Bethsaida. There, he and his apostles could be alone together.
11. But the people learned where Jesus went and followed him. He welcomed them and talked with them about God’s kingdom. He healed the people who were sick.
12. Late in the afternoon, the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said, “No one lives in this place. Send the people away. They need to find food and places to sleep in the farms and towns around here.”
13. But Jesus said to the apostles, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish. Do you want us to go buy food for all these people?” There are too many!
14. (There were about 5000 men there.) Jesus said to his followers, “Tell the people to sit in groups of about 50 people.”
15. So the followers did this and everyone sat down.
16. Then Jesus took the five loaves of bread and two fish. He looked up into the sky and thanked God for the food. Then he broke it into pieces, which he gave to the followers to give to the people.
17. They all ate until they were full. And there was a lot of food left. Twelve baskets were filled with the pieces of food that were not eaten.
18. One time Jesus was praying alone. His followers came together there, and he asked them, “Who do the people say I am?”
19. They answered, “Some people say you are John the Baptizer. Others say you are Elijah. And some people say you are one of the prophets from long ago that has come back to life.”
20. Then Jesus said to his followers, “And who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah from God.”