But on Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod,

Now when Jesus heard this he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place. But when the crowd heard about it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

And after he sent the crowds away, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone.

When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified and said, “It’s a ghost!” and cried out with fear.

He answered them, “And why do you disobey the commandment of God because of your tradition?

Don’t you understand that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach and then passes out into the sewer?

But he did not answer her a word. Then his disciples came and begged him, “Send her away, because she keeps on crying out after us.”

“It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs,” he said.

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!”

Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him: “God forbid, Lord! This must not happen to you!”

The disciples asked him, “Why then do the experts in the law say that Elijah must come first?”

After they arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Your teacher pays the double drachma tax, doesn’t he?”

And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother.

Then Peter came to him and said, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother who sins against me? As many as seven times?”

When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very upset and went and told their lord everything that had taken place.

So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”

He answered, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female,