The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ¹⁵ “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast^(A) of the Pharisees^(B) and that of Herod.”^(C)

¹⁶ They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.”

¹⁷ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?^{(D) 18} Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,”^(E) they replied.

²⁰ “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”^(F)

²¹ He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”^(G)

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

²² They came to Bethsaida,^(H) and some people brought a blind man^(I) and begged Jesus to touch him. ²³ He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit^(J) on the man’s eyes and put his hands on^(K) him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

²⁵ Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. ²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into^[a] the village.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(L)

²⁷ Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

²⁸ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(M) others say Elijah;^(N) and still others, one of the prophets.”

²⁹ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”^(O)

³⁰ Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.^(P)

Jesus Predicts His Death^(Q)

³¹ He then began to teach them that the Son of Man^(R) must suffer many things^(S) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(T) and that he must be killed^(U) and after three days^(V) rise again.^{(W) 32} He spoke plainly^(X) about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

³³ But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!”^(Y) he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

The Way of the Cross

³⁴ Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.^{(Z) 35} For whoever wants to save their life^[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.^{(AA) 36} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? ³⁷ Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ³⁸ If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man^(AB) will be ashamed of them^(AC) when he comes^(AD) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah^(A)(B)

¹⁸ Once when Jesus was praying^(C) in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

¹⁹ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist;^(D) others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”^(E)

²⁰ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”^(F)

Jesus Predicts His Death

²¹ Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.^{(G) 22} And he said, “The Son of Man^(H) must suffer many things^(I) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,^(J) and he must be killed^(K) and on the third day^(L) be raised to life.”^(M)

²³ Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.^{(N) 24} For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.^{(O) 25} What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? ²⁶ Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them^(P) when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.^(Q)

²⁷ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

Psalm 9^[a][b]

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David.