1. Jesus called the Twelve together. He gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to heal sicknesses.
2. Then he sent them out to preach about God's kingdom and to heal those who were sick.
3. He told them, "Don't take anything for the journey. Do not take a walking stick or a bag. Do not take any bread, money or extra clothes.
4. When you are invited into a house, stay there until you leave town.
5. Some people may not welcome you. If they don't, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town. This will be a witness against the people living there."
6. So the Twelve left. They went from village to village. They preached the good news and healed people everywhere.
7. Now Herod, the ruler of Galilee, heard about everything that was going on. He was bewildered, because some were saying that John the Baptist had been raised from the dead.
8. Others were saying that Elijah had appeared. Still others were saying that a prophet of long ago had come back to life.
9. But Herod said, "I had John's head cut off. So who is it that I hear such things about?" And he tried to see Jesus.
10. The apostles returned. They told Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him. They went off by themselves to a town called Bethsaida.
11. But the crowds learned about it and followed Jesus. He welcomed them and spoke to them about God's kingdom. He also healed those who needed to be healed.
12. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him. They said, "Send the crowd away. They can go to the nearby villages and countryside. There they can find food and a place to stay. There is nothing here."