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—no staffs, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money. Don’t have two coats each. ⁴Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there. ⁵As 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, “I beheaded John, 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, 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, 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.