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Matthew 14

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📖 Matthew introduction

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1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus ✦ 2and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” ✦ 3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ✦ 4because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ✦ 5Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet. ✦ 6On Herod’s birthday, however, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod ✦ 7so much that he promised with an oath to give to her whatever she asked. ✦ 8Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” ✦ 9The king was grieved, but because of his oaths and his guests, he ordered that her wish be granted ✦ 10and sent to have John beheaded in the prison. ✦ 11John’s head was brought in on a platter and presented to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ✦ 12Then John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. And they went and informed Jesus. ✦ 13When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns. ✦ 14When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. ✦ 15When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” ✦ 16“They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.” ✦ 17“We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. ✦ 18“Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said. 19And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ✦ 20They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ✦ 21About five thousand men were fed, in addition to women and children. ✦ 22Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. ✦ 23After He had sent them away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, ✦ 24but the boat was already far from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. ✦ 25During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. ✦ 26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost!” they said, and cried out in fear. ✦ 27But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” ✦ 28“Lord, if it is You,” Peter replied, “command me to come to You on the water.” ✦ 29“Come,” said Jesus. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. ✦ 30But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” ✦ 31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?” ✦ 32And when they had climbed back into the boat, the wind died down. ✦ 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God!” ✦ 34When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ✦ 35And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding region. People brought all the sick to Him ✦ 36and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed. ✦

Tap any verse for its study page. Underlined terms mark a concept, person, or place; ✦ marks verses with cross-references.

Where this chapter connects

Mark 6 ·29John 6 ·17Matt 15 ·9Luke 9 ·9Mark 8 ·8Acts 4 ·7Luke 24 ·7Mark 14 ·6

Christ at the center

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'

How Matthew 14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Resources, by level

Lay

  • ★ Start hereDocumentaryFollowing the MessiahAppian Media · Free · evangelical

    A free, beautifully shot 10-part series walking the lands of Jesus' life — Bethlehem, Galilee, Jerusalem, and more.

  • ★ Start hereVideoBibleProject — video overviews & word studiesBibleProject · 5–10 min · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overviews of every book of the Bible, plus themes and Hebrew/Greek word studies — the best visual on-ramp to any book. (Biblical-theology, broadly evangelical, not distinctly Reformed.)

  • ★ Start hereAudioThrough the WordThrough the Word · ~10 min/chapter · Free · evangelical

    A clear ~10-minute audio teaching for every one of the Bible's 1,189 chapters — the most systematic free way to study chapter by chapter.

  • DocumentaryHolyLandSiteHolyLandSite · Free · evangelical

    Free on-location videos tying biblical events to the actual sites in Israel — the Temple Mount, Galilee, Capernaum, and more.

  • ApologeticsCold-Case Christianity (J. Warner Wallace)J. Warner Wallace · Free · evangelical

    A cold-case homicide detective examines the Gospels' reliability — forensic faith for skeptics and seekers.

Pastoral

  • SermonGrace to You — John MacArthurJohn MacArthur · Free · reformed

    Decades of careful verse-by-verse expository sermons, especially through the New Testament. (MacArthur, d. 2025; archive remains free.)

  • DocumentaryThat the World May KnowRay Vander Laan · Paid · evangelical

    Ray Vander Laan's on-location series immersing you in the Bible's historical and cultural world. (Mostly paid via Focus on the Family; some free clips.)

  • SermonChuck Smith — C2000 SeriesChuck Smith · Free · evangelical

    Free verse-by-verse audio through the entire Bible from the founder of Calvary Chapel.

Commentaries & study tools

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