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When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

Soon afterwards, he went about through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of God’s Kingdom. With him were the twelve, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod’s steward; Susanna; and many others who served them from their possessions. When a great multitude came together and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable: “The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. Some seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Some fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into the good ground and grew and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The apostles gathered themselves together to Jesus, and they told him all things, whatever they had done, and whatever they had taught. He said to them, “Come away into a deserted place, and rest awhile.” For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. They saw them going, and many recognized him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to him. Jesus came out, saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. When it was late in the day, his disciples came to him and said, “This place is deserted, and it is late in the day. Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat.”