1He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.
2He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick.
3He said to them,
“Take nothing for your journey—neither staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money; neither have two coats each.
4
Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there.
5
As many as don’t receive you, when you depart from that city, shake off even the dust from your feet for a testimony against them.”
6They departed, and went throughout the villages, preaching the Good News, and healing everywhere.
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him; and he was very perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,
8and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.
9Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?” He sought to see him.
10The apostles, when they had returned, told him what things they had done.
He took them, and withdrew apart to a desert region of a city called Bethsaida.
11But the multitudes, perceiving it, followed him. He welcomed them, and spoke to them of God’s Kingdom, and he cured those who needed healing.
12The day began to wear away; and the twelve came, and said to him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding villages and farms, and lodge, and get food, for we are here in a deserted place.”
13But he said to them,
“You give them something to eat.”
They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.”
14For they were about five thousand men.
He said to his disciples,
“Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
15They did so, and made them all sit down.
16He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.
17They ate, and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.