1. He summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
2. and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal [the sick].
3. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic.
4. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there.
5. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.”
6. Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere.
7. Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”;
8. others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
9. But Herod said, “John I beheaded. Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And he kept trying to see him.
10. When the apostles returned, they explained to him what they had done. He took them and withdrew in private to a town called Bethsaida.
11. The crowds, meanwhile, learned of this and followed him. He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured.
12. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.”
13. He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.”
14. Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.”
15. They did so and made them all sit down.
16. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.
17. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.
18. Once when Jesus was praying in solitude, and the disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”