Matthew 14 (KJV)

Jesus walks across stormy water toward Peter and a small boat while a fed multitude and baskets remain on the twilight shore. — CHAPTER VISUAL
Matthew 14 — Jesus feeds the multitude, comes across the stormy sea, and rescues Peter as the disciples worship Him.
About this illustration
The feeding and night crossing are joined across one panoramic shoreline. John’s execution is acknowledged by the chapter’s sober transition but omitted from the artwork to keep suffering non-graphic.
Scripture basis: Matthew 14:1–36

1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,
2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.
4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.
5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
6But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.
7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.
8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.
9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.
10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.
11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.
12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
14And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
16But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
17And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
18He said, Bring them hither to me.
19And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
20And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
21And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.
23And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.
24But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.
25And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.
35And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;
36And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom

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Archaeological Evidence

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchitecture

Approximately AD 232–256

Dura-Europos Christian Building and Baptistery

A remodeled building buried before Dura-Europos fell in AD 256 preserves a font and early Christian paintings shaped around baptism and Gospel interpretation, even as scholars reconsider the familiar label “house church.”

Matthew 14:22–33 · John 10:1–18 · John 20:11–18

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArtifact

4 BC-AD 39

Coins of Herod Antipas

Bronze issues from Tiberias name Herod as tetrarch, carry regnal dates, and directly attest the Galilean ruler and title familiar from the Gospels without depicting the narrated events.

Matthew 14:1–12 · Mark 6:14–29 · Luke 3:1

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript

Second half of the sixth century AD

Codex Sinopensis

Codex Sinopensis preserves forty-three Paris leaves of a lavish sixth-century Greek Matthew on lichen-dyed purple parchment, with gold script and five surviving miniatures whose damaged text and lost leaf require direct manuscript study.

Matthew 14:13–21

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript

2nd–3rd century

Papyrus P103: Matthew 13:55–56 and 14:3–5

Papyrus P103, P.Oxy. LXIV 4403, is a late-second- or early-third-century Greek codex corner preserving questions about Jesus' family and Matthew's account of Herod's imprisonment of John the Baptist.

Matthew 13:55–56 · Matthew 14:3–5

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchitecture

4th–5th centuries AD, preserved within a modern reconstructed church

Tabgha's Byzantine Church and Loaves-and-Fishes Mosaic

The fourth- and fifth-century churches at Tabgha and their celebrated loaves-and-fishes mosaic document how late antique Christians localized and interpreted the Gospel feeding narratives.

Matthew 14:13–21 · Mark 6:30–44 · Luke 9:10–17

ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript

Sixth century AD

Uncial 073: Peter Walking on the Water

Uncial 073: Peter Walking on the Water is a separately registered physical witness to the copying and reception of Matthew 14:28–31, identified by its own GA number, shelfmark, date, layout, and custodial history.

Matthew 14:28–31

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