He told the multitude to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He blessed it. Then He broke and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples gave them to the multitude. They all ate and were full. Afterwards, they took up the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. Those who had eaten numbered about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.
Immediately, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into a boat and go ahead of Him to the other side. After He sent the multitude away, He went up into a mountain to pray. When evening came He was there alone. But the boat was now in the midst of the sea and tossed with waves by the strong wind. In the fourth watch of the night, the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the sea. They were afraid and said, It is a spirit. They cried out for fear. But Jesus said, Be of good cheer. It is I. Be not afraid.
Peter answered and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Jesus said, Come. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he became afraid and immediately began to sink. He cried, Lord, save me. Jesus stretched out His hand, caught Peter, and said, O thou of little faith. Why did thou doubt?
When they got into the boat the wind ceased. Then those who were in the boat came and worshipped Jesus. They said, Surely thou art the Son of God. Then they reached the land of Gennesaret. When the people there had knowledge of Him, they sent word all around the country. They brought to Jesus all who were diseased. They besought Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment. And all who touched His garment were made perfectly whole.
15 Then scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem came to Jesus. They asked, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat bread. Jesus answered, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? God commanded: Honor thy father and mother. Let him be put to death who curses father or mother. But ye say that whoever says to his father or mother that it is a gift by whatever thou might profit by me, dishonoring the father or mother, shall be free. Your tradition has made the commandment of God useless.
Ye hypocrites. Well did Esaias prophesy: This people draw nigh unto me with their mouth, and honor me with their lips. But their hearts are far from me. In vain do they worship me. They teach the commandments of men as doctrines.
Jesus then called the multitude and said, Hear and understand. Nothing that goes into the mouth defiles a man. But that which comes out of the mouth defiles a man. His disciples approached him and said, Know thou that the Pharisees were offended after they heard these words? Jesus said, Every plant that was not planted by my heavenly Father shall be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Next, Peter approached Him and said, Explain the parable to us. Jesus replied, Are ye still without understanding? Do ye not yet understand that whatever goes in at the mouth goes into the belly and is expelled. But those things which come out of the mouth come from the heart. They defile the man because out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, and blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man. To eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.
Then Jesus went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. A woman of Canaan came to Him and said, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David. My daughter is grievously tormented with a devil. Jesus said not a word to her. Finally, His disciples came and said, Send her away for she cries after us. Jesus replied, I am not here for the lost sheep of the house of Israel only.
She came forward and worshipped Him. She said, Lord, help me. He answered, It is not fit to take the children's bread and cast it to dogs. She answered, True, Lord. Yet dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table. Jesus said to her, O woman, great is thy faith. Be it done unto thee as thou wilt. So her daughter was made whole from that very hour.