Matthew 14 — Clausal Layout (English)

independentparticipialrelativepurposecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended

Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)

Herod's fear and the death of the Baptist 14:1–12

vv. 1–2 — the report reaches the court: Herod's guilty verdict

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report of Jesus,independent — the loose Matthean time-link opens the episode; τετραάρχης — the correct, lesser title (contrast 'king,' v. 9)

and said to his servants:independent — the speech-frame — παῖδες here court attendants, not children

'This is John the Baptist;content — the guilty identification — the executed man returned

he has been raised from the dead,content — ἠγέρθη — resurrection language in Herod's superstitious mouth

and because of this the powers are at work in him.'content — the inference — a risen prophet would explain the δυνάμεις

vv. 3–5 — the retrospect opens: why John lay in prison

For Herod, having seized John,participial — explanatory γάρ launches the flashback, narrated at mainline depth (cf. Mark 6:17); leans on ἔδησεν

had bound himindependent — the arrest recalled — the retrospect's aorists are pluperfect in force

and put him away in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip;independent — Machaerus, per Josephus — the cause named: the unlawful marriage

for John kept saying to him:cause — second γάρ — iterative imperfect: the repeated rebuke that earned the cell

'It is not lawful for you to have her.'content — Torah to the tetrarch's face (Lev 18:16; 20:21) — the prophet's fatal candor

And though he wanted to kill him,participial — concessive participle — leans on ἐφοβήθη; in Matthew the murderous will is Herod's own (in Mark, Herodias')

he feared the crowd,independent — fear of the people checks the wish — the same bind as 21:26

because they held him to be a prophet.cause — εἶχον with predicate ὡς — the popular verdict that shielded John

vv. 6–11 — the birthday banquet: the dance, the oath, the platter

But when Herod's birthday came,participial — dative absolute of time — the occasion arrives; leans on ὠρχήσατο

the daughter of Herodias danced in the midstindependent — Salome, by Josephus' account — Herodias' daughter performs before the company

and pleased Herod,independent — ἤρεσεν — the pleasure that springs the trap

so that with an oath he promised to give herindependent — ὅθεν draws the consequence — the rash, oath-bound pledge

whatever she might ask.relative — indefinite relative (ὃ ἐάν + subjunctive) — the blank check

And she, prompted by her mother,participial — προβιβασθεῖσα — the girl put forward as Herodias' instrument; leans on φησίν

says, 'Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.'independent — parenthetic historic present φησίν inside the demand — ὧδε, now, at table; the platter a banquet dish

And the king, though grieved,participial — concessive participle (λυπηθείς read; the editions divide against ἐλυπήθη ... δέ); 'king' — the courtesy title Matthew allows the tetrarch; leans on ἐκέλευσεν

because of the oaths and the dinner guests commanded it to be given,independent — honor before guests outweighs grief — the double διά names the pressure

and sending,participial — the executioner dispatched; leans on ἀπεκεφάλισεν

he had John beheaded in the prison.independent — causative aorist — the deed done off-stage, in one clause

And his head was brought on a platterindependent — passive — the head handled as a course at the feast

and was given to the girl,independent — ἐδόθη answers Δός — the demand met verbatim

and she brought it to her mother.independent — platter, girl, mother — the revenge completed hand to hand

v. 12 — burial, and the news carried to Jesus

And his disciples, coming,participial — John's own disciples — the last service; leans on ἦραν

took the corpseindependent — πτῶμα printed ('corpse'; some witnesses soften to σῶμα)

and buried him,independent — the burial — the quiet counter-scene to the courtiers' banquet

and going,participial — leans on ἀπήγγειλαν — the hinge to v. 13

they told Jesus.independent — the report that triggers the withdrawal — John's story handed over to Jesus'

The feeding of the five thousand 14:13–21

vv. 13–14 — withdrawal, pursuit, compassion

Now Jesus, hearing it,participial — the news of v. 12 — the forerunner's death shadows the ministry; leans on ἀνεχώρησεν

withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself;independent — ἀνεχώρησεν — Matthew's verb of strategic retreat; ἔρημος τόπος readies the wilderness banquet

but the crowds, hearing,participial — the matching participle — his hearing answered by theirs; leans on ἠκολούθησαν

followed him on foot from the towns.independent — πεζῇ — around the shore; the solitude is over before it begins

And going out,participial — coming ashore; leans on εἶδεν

he saw a great crowd,independent — the sight that moves him

and had compassion on themindependent — ἐσπλαγχνίσθη — visceral mercy overrides the sought solitude

and healed their sick.independent — healing first — the meal follows

vv. 15–18 — the dialogue: 'send them away' / 'you give them to eat'

And when evening had come,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning; the first of the chapter's two evenings (cf. v. 23)

the disciples came to him,independent — προσέρχομαι — Matthew's characteristic verb of approach

saying:participial — the speech-frame

'The place is desolatecontent — the disciples state the facts — the wilderness cannot feed

and the hour is already past;content — the second fact — daylight gone

dismiss the crowds,content — the proposal — send the problem away

so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.'purpose — the sensible plan — each buys his own; about to be overturned

But Jesus said to them:independent — the counter-word

'They have no need to go away;content — the plan refused

you give them something to eat.'content — emphatic ὑμεῖς — the charge thrown on the disciples

And they say to him:independent — historic present — the objection

'We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.'content — the inventory of poverty — εἰ μή, 'except'; the miracle's raw material

And he said:independent — the reply

'Bring them here to me.'content — the pivot from lack to abundance — the little handed over to Jesus

vv. 19–21 — took, blessed, broke, gave: all were filled

And commanding the crowds to recline on the grass,participial — the meal ordered like a banquet; leans on εὐλόγησεν

taking the five loaves and the two fish,participial — the first eucharistic action — λαβών (cf. 26:26)

looking up to heaven,participial — third preposed participle — the gesture of blessing toward the Father

he blessed,independent — the second action — the berakah over bread, in one bare verb

and breaking,participial — the third action — preposed on ἔδωκεν

he gave the loaves to the disciples,independent — the fourth action — the disciples made distributors

and the disciples to the crowds.independent — elliptical — 'gave' understood; the chain of giving runs on

And they all ateindependent — πάντες — no one passed over

and were filled,independent — ἐχορτάσθησαν — satisfied to the full (cf. 5:6)

and they took up what was left over of the fragments, twelve baskets full.independent — the surplus outmeasures the supply — twelve, a basket per apostle

And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.independent — the tally — Matthew alone adds χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων, enlarging the wonder

Walking on the sea — and Peter's attempt 14:22–33

vv. 22–24 — the forced crossing: prayer on the mountain, torment on the sea

And immediately he compelled the disciples to get into the boat and go before him to the other side,independent — ἠνάγκασεν — he compels, perhaps against the crowd's messianic surge (cf. Jn 6:15)

until he should dismiss the crowds.conditional — temporal ἕως οὗ (typed cnd; no temporal key) — backward-leaning, so anchored

And having dismissed the crowds,participial — the dismissal accomplished; leans on ἀνέβη

he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.independent — the sought solitude of v. 13 at last — the purpose infinitive kept in line

And when evening had come,participial — genitive absolute — the chapter's second ὀψία, now full night; leans on ἦν

he was there alone.independent — μόνος — the scene split: he on the mountain, they on the sea

But the boat was already in the middle of the sea, being battered by the waves,independent — periphrastic imperfect — βασανιζόμενον, 'tortured'; μέσον τῆς θαλάσσης read against the expansion 'many stadia from the land'

for the wind was contrary.cause — narrator's γάρ — the head-wind that holds them mid-sea

vv. 25–27 — the epiphany: 'take heart, ἐγώ εἰμι'

And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them,independent — 3–6 a.m., the darkest watch — the help delayed till the last

walking on the sea.participial — manner participle — the theophanic tread on the waves (Job 9:8; Ps 77:19)

But the disciples, seeing him walking on the sea,participial — the vision misread; leans on ἐταράχθησαν

were terrified,independent — ἐταράχθησαν — thrown into turmoil

saying:participial — speech-participle with recitative ὅτι

'It is a ghost!'content — φάντασμα — the epiphany taken for an apparition

and they cried out from fear.independent — the scream — fear finds its voice

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying:independent — εὐθύς — the answer is instant

'Take heart;content — the first word against the fear

it is I;content — ἐγώ εἰμι — self-identification with the ring of the divine name (Exod 3:14; Isa 43:10), left to sound

do not be afraid.'content — μή + present imperative — 'stop fearing'

vv. 28–31 — Peter on the waters: the walk, the wind, the grip

And Peter, answering him, said:independent — Matthew alone adds the Peter episode — the spokesman tests the word

'Lord, if it is you,conditional — first-class protasis inside speech — 'if it is you (and it is)'; leans forward on κέλευσον, one deeper

command me to come to you on the waters.'content — the apodosis-request — faith asks a share in the miracle, at his word only

And he said:independent — the reply

'Come.'content — one word bears his weight

And Peter, getting down from the boat,participial — the step over the side; leans on περιεπάτησεν

walked on the watersindependent — for a moment the disciple does what the Lord does

and came toward Jesus.independent — ἦλθεν πρός — the walk holds while the gaze holds

But seeing the strong wind,participial — the gaze shifts from Jesus to the storm (ἰσχυρόν read by the majority, omitted by a few); leans on ἐφοβήθη

he was afraid,independent — the fear of v. 26 returns — now in the one who walked

and beginning to sink,participial — καταποντίζεσθαι — going down into the sea; leans on ἔκραξεν

he cried out,independent — the same verb as the disciples' scream (v. 26)

saying:participial — the speech-frame

'Lord, save me!'content — the shortest prayer in the Gospel — σῶσον with its full gospel resonance

And immediately Jesus, stretching out his hand,participial — εὐθέως again — the rescue as instant as the reassurance; leans on ἐπελάβετο

took hold of himindependent — the grip before the rebuke

and says to him:independent — historic present — the word delivered mid-rescue

'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'content — ὀλιγόπιστε — Matthew's diagnosis: small faith, not none; ἐδίστασας, 'be of two minds' (only here and 28:17)

vv. 32–33 — the calm and the confession

And when they had climbed into the boat,participial — genitive absolute — forward-leaning on ἐκόπασεν

the wind ceased.independent — ἐκόπασεν — the storm drops at his presence, unbidden (cf. 8:26)

And those in the boat worshiped him,independent — προσεκύνησαν — the homage owed to God, rendered in the boat

saying:participial — the speech-frame of the confession

'Truly you are the Son of God.'content — the disciples' first full confession in Matthew — fronted θεοῦ; where Mark ends in hardened hearts (Mk 6:52), Matthew ends in worship

Healings at Gennesaret 14:34–36

And having crossed over,participial — the crossing completed; leans on ἦλθον

they came to land at Gennesaret.independent — the fertile plain on the lake's northwest shore

And the men of that place, recognizing him,participial — ἐπιγνόντες — full recognition; leans on ἀπέστειλαν

sent into all that surrounding region,independent — word goes out — the whole countryside mobilized

and brought to him all who were sick,independent — πάντας — the region's sick carried in

and they kept begging himindependent — iterative imperfect — the continual entreaty

that they might only touch the fringe of his garment;content — ἵνα of the entreaty's content — μόνον, bare contact with the tassel (Num 15:38–39; cf. 9:20–21)

and as many as touched it were made completely well.independent — headless ὅσοι-relative as subject — the intensive διά of διεσώθησαν: healed through and through; the chapter closes in open-ended mercy

Analysis. Matthew 14 is narrative in three great panels with a healing coda, and the layout reads accordingly: coordinate purple main clauses run down the left margin, one event per line, while Matthew's habitual preposed aorist participles (Ἀκούσας, ἐξελθών, ἀπολύσας, καταβάς, ἐκτείνας) and genitive absolutes (ὀψίας γενομένης twice, ἀναβάντων αὐτῶν) lean forward, anchorless, on the verbs below them. All speech hangs blue (cnt) beneath its verb of saying: Herod's guilty verdict under εἶπεν, the girl's demand fused with its parenthetic φησίν, the feeding dialogue's exchange of imperatives (ἀπόλυσον / δότε ὑμεῖς / Φέρετε), and the sea-walking scene's dense dialogue — Θαρσεῖτε, ἐγώ εἰμι under λέγων, Peter's Κύριε, εἰ σὺ εἶ protasis leaning one deeper on κέλευσον, the one-word Ἐλθέ, the drowning man's Κύριε, σῶσόν με, and the boat's confession Ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ. The Baptist retrospect (vv. 3–12) is a γάρ-grounded flashback narrated at mainline depth, exactly as at Mark 6:17 — its aorists pluperfect in force. Cruxes the layout inherits rather than hides: at v. 9 the concessive participle λυπηθείς is read (the editions divide against ἐλυπήθη ... δέ); at v. 24 μέσον τῆς θαλάσσης is read against the later expansion 'many stadia from the land'; ἐγώ εἰμι (v. 27) is glossed 'it is I' while the tag names its divine-name resonance (Exod 3:14; Isa 43); and βασιλεύς (v. 9) beside the precise τετραάρχης (v. 1) is flagged as courtesy against precision.