Bilingual reading

At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus,

and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him.”

For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.

For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.

But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.

Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.

She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”

The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given,

and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.

His head was brought on a platter and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother.

His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place apart. When the multitudes heard it, they followed him on foot from the cities.

Jesus went out, and he saw a great multitude. He had compassion on them and healed their sick.

When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”

But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

They told him, “We only have here five loaves and two fish.”

He said, “Bring them here to me.”

He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

They all ate and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.

Those who ate were about five thousand men, in addition to women and children.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone.

But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea.

When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out for fear.

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.”

Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.”

He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat and walked on the waters to come to Jesus.

But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”

When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased.

Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.

When the people of that place recognized him, they sent into all that surrounding region and brought to him all who were sick;

and they begged him that they might just touch the fringe of his garment. As many as touched it were made whole.

في ذٰلك الوَقْت سَمِعَ أَميرُ الرُّبْعِ هِيرودُسُ بِذِكْرِ يَسوع

فقالَ لِحاشِيَتِه: «هٰذا يُوحنَّا المَعمَدان، إِنَّه قامَ مِن بَينِ الأَموات، ولِذٰلكَ تَعمَلُ فيهِ القُدرَةُ على إِجراءِ المُعجِزات»

ذٰلك بِأَنَّ هيرودُسَ كان قد أَمسَكَ يُوحَنَّا، فأَوثَقَهُ ووَضَعَه في السِّجْن مِن أَجلِ هِيروديّا ٱمرَأَةِ أَخيهِ فِيلبُّس

لِأَنَّ يُوحَنَّا كانَ يَقولُ لَه: «إِنَّها لا تَحِلُّ لَكَ»

وأَرادَ أَن يَقتُلَه فَخافَ الشَّعبَ لِأَنَّهُم كانوا يَعُدُّونَه نَبِيًّا

ولَمَّا ٱحتَفَلَ هِيرودُسُ بِذِكرى مَولِدِه رَقَصتِ ٱبنَةُ هِيروديّا في الحَفْل، فَأَعْجَبَت هِيرودُس

فوَعَدَها مُؤَكِّدًا وَعدَه بِيَمين أَن يُعطِيَها أَيَّ شَيءٍ تَطلُبُه

فلَقَّنَتها أُمُّها فقالت: «أَعطِني هَهُنا على طَبَقٍ رأسَ يُوحَنَّا المَعمَدان»

فٱغتَمَّ المَلِكُ ولكنَّه أَمَرَ بإِعطائِها إِيَّاه مِن أَجلِ أَيْمانِه ومُراعاةً لِجُلَسائِه

وأَرسَلَ فقَطَعَ رَأسَ يُوحَنَّا في السِّجْن

وأُتِيَ بِالرَّأسِ على طَبَقٍ فأُعطِيَ لِلصَّبِيَّة، فحمَلَتهُ إِلى أُمِّها

وأَتى تلاميذُ يُوحَنَّا فحَملوا الجُثْمانَ ودَفَنوه، ثُمَّ ذَهَبوا فأَخبَروا يسوع

فلَمَّا سَمِعَ يسوع، اِنصَرَفَ مِن هُناكَ في سَفينَةٍ إِلى مَكانٍ قَفْرٍ يَعتَزِلُ فيه. فعَرَفَ الجُموعُ ذٰلك فتَبِعوهُ مِنَ المُدُنِ سَيرًا على الأَقدام

فلَمَّا نَزلَ إِلى البَرِّ رأَى جَمْعًا كَثيرًا، فأَخَذَتهُ الشَّفَقَةُ علَيهِم، فشَفى مَرضاهُم

ولَمَّا كانَ المَساء، دَنا إِليه تَلاميذُه وقالوا لَه: «المَكانُ قَفْرٌ وقَد فاتَ الوَقْت، فَٱصرِفِ الجُموعَ لِيَذهَبوا إِلى القُرى فيَشتَروا لَهم طَعامًا»

فقالَ لَهم يسوع: «لا حاجَةَ بِهِم إِلى الذَّهاب. أَعطوهم أَنتُم ما يَأكُلون»

فقالوا لَه: «لَيسَ عِندَنا هَهُنا غَيرُ خَمسَةِ أَرغِفَةٍ وسَمَكَتَيْن»

فقالَ: «علَيَّ بِها»

ثُمَّ أَمَر الجُموعَ بِالقُعودِ على العُشْب، وأَخَذَ الأَرغِفَةَ الخَمسَةَ والسَّمَكَتَيْن، ورَفَعَ عَينَيه نَحوَ السَّماء، وباركَ وكسَرَ الأَرغِفة، وناوَلَها تَلاميذَه، والتَّلاميذُ ناوَلوها الجُموع

فأَكلوا كُلُّهم حتَّى شَبِعوا، ورَفعوا ما فَضَلَ مِنَ الكِسَر: إِثنَتَي عَشْرَةَ قُفَّةً مُمتَلِئَةً

وكانَ الآكِلونَ خَمسَةَ آلافِ رَجُل، ما عدا النِّساءَ والأَولاد

وأَجبَرَ التَّلاميذَ لِوَقتِه أَن يَركَبوا السَّفينَةَ ويَتَقَدَّموهُ إِلى الشَّاطِئِ المُقابِل حتَّى يَصرِفَ الجُموع

ولمَّا صرَفَهم صَعِدَ الجَبَلَ لِيُصَلِّيَ في العُزلَة. وكانَ في المساءِ وَحدَهُ هُناك

وأَمَّا السَّفينَةُ فَقَدِ ٱبتَعَدَت عِدَّةَ غَلَواتٍ مِنَ البَرّ، وكانتِ الأَمواجُ تَلطِمُها، لِأَنَّ الرِّيحَ كانَت مُخالِفَةً لَها

فعِندَ آخِرِ اللَّيل، جاءَ إِلَيهِم ماشِيًا على البَحْر

فلَمَّا رآه التَّلاميذُ ماشِيًا على البَحْر، اِضطَرَبوا وقالوا: «هٰذا خَيال!» ومِن خَوفِهم صَرَخوا

فبادَرَهم يسوعُ بِقَولِه: «ثِقوا. أَنا هو، لا تَخافوا!»

فأَجابَه بُطرس: «يا رَبِّ، إِن كُنتَ إِيَّاه، فمُرني أَن آتِيَ إِلَيكَ على الماء»

فقالَ لَه: «تَعالَ!» فنَزَلَ بُطرُسُ مِنَ السَّفينَةِ ومَشى على الماءِ آتِيًا إِلى يسوع

ولٰكِنَّه خافَ عندَما رأَى شِدَّةَ الرِّيح، فَأَخَذَ يَغرَق، فصَرَخ: «يا رَبِّ، نَجِّني!»

فمَدَّ يسوعُ يَدَه لِوَقْتِه وأَمسكَهُ وهُو يَقولُ له: «يا قَليلَ الإِيمان، لِماذا شَكَكْتَ؟»

ولَمَّا رَكِبا السَّفينَة، سَكَنَتِ الرِّيح

فسجَدَ لَه الَّذينَ في السَّفينةِ وقالوا: «أَنتَ ٱبنُ اللهِ حَقًّا!»

وعَبَروا حتَّى بلَغوا البَرَّ عندَ جِنَّاسَرِت

فعَرَفَه أَهلُ تِلكَ البَلْدَة، فأَرسَلوا بِالخَبَرِ إِلى تِلكَ النَّاحِيَةِ كُلِّها، فأَتَوْهُ بِجَميعِ المَرْضى

وأَخَذوا يَسأَلونَه أَن يَدَعَهم يَلمِسونَ هُدْبَ رِدائِه فَحَسْب، وجَميعُ الَّذينَ لَمَسوه نالوا الشِّفاء