Mark 8:11-9:13

English Standard Version

The Pharisees Demand a Sign

^11 (A)The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, ^(B)seeking from him ^(C)a sign from heaven ^(D)to test him. ¹² And ^(E)he sighed deeply ^(F)in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ And ^(G)he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; ^(H)beware of ^(I)the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of ^(J)Herod.”^{[a] 16} And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷ And ^(K)Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? ^(L)Do you not yet perceive ^(M)or understand? ^(N)Are your hearts hardened? ^18 (O)Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I broke ^(P)the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “And ^(Q)the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” ²¹ And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² And they came ^(R)to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. ²³ And ^(S)he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when ^(T)he had ^(U)spit on his eyes and ^(V)laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” ²⁵ Then Jesus^[b] laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ And he sent him to his home, saying, ^(W)“Do not even enter the village.”

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

^27 (X)And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” ²⁸ And they told him, ^(Y)“John the Baptist; and others say, ^(Z)Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, ^(AA)“You are ^(AB)the Christ.” ^30 (AC)And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

^31 (AD)And he began to teach them that ^(AE)the Son of Man must ^(AF)suffer many things and ^(AG)be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and ^(AH)after three days rise again. ³² And he said this ^(AI)plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ³³ But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, ^(AJ)“Get behind me, Satan! For you ^(AK)are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

³⁴ And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him ^(AL)deny himself and ^(AM)take up his cross and follow me. ³⁵ For ^(AN)whoever would save his life^[c] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake ^(AO)and the gospel's will save it. ^36 (AP)For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? ³⁷ For ^(AQ)what can a man give in return for his soul? ³⁸ For ^(AR)whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this ^(AS)adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed ^(AT)when he comes in the glory of his Father with ^(AU)the holy angels.”

9 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not ^(AV)taste death ^(AW)until they see the kingdom of God after it has come ^(AX)with power.”

The Transfiguration

^2 (AY)And after six days Jesus took with him ^(AZ)Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was ^(BA)transfigured before them, ³ and ^(BB)his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one^[d] on earth could bleach them. ⁴ And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. ⁵ And Peter said to Jesus, ^(BC)“Rabbi,^[e] it is good that we are here. Let us make three ^(BD)tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” ⁶ For ^(BE)he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. ⁷ And ^(BF)a cloud overshadowed them, and ^(BG)a voice came out of the cloud, ^(BH)“This is my beloved Son;^{[f] (BI)}listen to him.” ⁸ And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.

^9 (BJ)And as they were coming down the mountain, ^(BK)he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, ^(BL)until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. ^10 (BM)So they kept the matter to themselves, ^(BN)questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. ¹¹ And they asked him, “Why do the scribes say ^(BO)that first Elijah must come?” ¹² And he said to them, “Elijah does come first ^(BP)to restore all things. And ^(BQ)how is it written of the Son of Man that he should ^(BR)suffer many things and ^(BS)be treated with contempt? ¹³ But I tell you that Elijah has come, and ^(BT)they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”