Mark 8
Christian Standard Bible
Feeding Four Thousand
8 In(A) those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He called(B) the disciples(C) and said to them, 2 “I have compassion(D) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way,(E) and some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to feed(F) these people?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked them.
“Seven,” they said. 6 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, he gave thanks, broke(G) them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. So they served them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and after he had blessed them, he said these were to be served as well. 8 They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About four thousand were there. He dismissed them. 10 And he immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod
11 The(H) Pharisees(I) came and began to argue with him, demanding of him a sign(J) from heaven(K) to test(L) him. 12 Sighing deeply in his spirit,(M) he said, “Why does this generation(N) demand a sign? Truly I tell you,(O) no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side.
14 The disciples had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then(P) he gave them strict orders: “Watch out! Beware of the leaven[a](Q) of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”(R) 16 They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread. 17 Aware of this, he said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact you have no bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Do you have hardened hearts?(S) 18 Do you have eyes and not see; do you have ears and not hear?[b](T) And do you not remember?(U) 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?”
“Twelve,” they told him.
20 “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you collect?”
“Seven,” they said.
21 And he said to them, “Don’t you understand yet?” (V)
Healing a Blind Man
22 They came to Bethsaida.(W) They brought a blind(X) man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spitting(Y) on his eyes and laying his hands on(Z) him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people—they look like trees walking.”(AA)
25 Again Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes. The man looked intently and his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent(AB) him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”[c](AC)
Peter’s Confession of the Messiah
27 Jesus(AD) went out with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
28 They answered him, “John the Baptist;(AE) others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”(AF)
29 “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?”
Peter(AG) answered him, “You are the Messiah.”(AH) 30 And he strictly warned(AI) them to tell no one about him.
His Death and Resurrection Predicted
31 Then(AJ) he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man(AK) to suffer many things and be rejected(AL) by the elders,(AM) chief priests, and scribes,(AN) be killed, and rise(AO) after three days.(AP) 32 He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan!(AQ) You are not thinking about God’s concerns[d] but human concerns.”
Take Up Your Cross
34 Calling the crowd along with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself,(AR) take up his cross,(AS) and follow me.(AT) 35 For whoever wants to save(AU) his life will lose it,(AV) but whoever loses(AW) his life(AX) because of me(AY) and the gospel(AZ) will save it.(BA) 36 For what does it benefit(BB) someone to gain(BC) the whole world(BD) and yet lose(BE) his life?(BF) 37 What can anyone give in exchange for his life?(BG) 38 For whoever is ashamed(BH) of me and my words(BI) in this adulterous and sinful(BJ) generation,(BK) the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory(BL) of his Father(BM) with the holy(BN) angels.”(BO)
Mark 8
International Standard Version
Jesus Feeds More than Four Thousand People(A)
8 At that time, after a large crowd again had gathered together with nothing to eat, Jesus[a] called his disciples and told them, 2 “I have compassion for the crowd, because they’ve already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them away to their homes hungry, they’ll faint on the road. Some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered him, “Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people out here in the wilderness?”
5 He asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”
“Seven,” they said.
6 So he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples to distribute. So they served them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish[b] should also be distributed. 8 The people[c] ate and were filled. Then the disciples[d] picked up the leftover pieces—seven large baskets full. 9 Now about 4,000 men were there. Then he sent them on their way. 10 Immediately he got into a boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.[e]
Interpreting the Time(B)
11 The Pharisees arrived and began arguing with Jesus.[f] They tested him by demanding from him a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and remarked, “Why do those living today[g] demand a sign? I tell all of you[h] with certainty, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 Leaving them, he got into a boat again and crossed to the other side.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees(C)
14 Now the disciples[i] had forgotten to take any bread along, but they had one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Jesus[j] had been warning them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”[k]
16 So they were discussing with one another the fact that they didn’t have any bread. 17 Knowing this, Jesus[l] asked them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand or perceive yet? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes, but fail to see? Do you have ears, but fail to hear?[m] Don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?”
They told him, “Twelve.”
20 “When I broke[n] the seven loaves[o] for the 4,000, how many large baskets did you fill with the leftover pieces?”
They told him, “Seven.”
21 Then he asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”
Jesus Heals a Blind Man in Bethsaida
22 As they came to Bethsaida, some people[p] brought a blind man to Jesus[q] and begged him to touch him.[r] 23 Jesus[s] took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spit into his eyes, placed his hands on him, and asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 The man[t] looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking around.” 25 Then Jesus[u] placed his hands on the man’s[v] eyes again, and he saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he saw everything perfectly, even from a distance.
26 Then Jesus[w] sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village or tell anyone in the village.”[x]
Peter Declares His Faith in Jesus(D)
27 Then Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he was asking his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”
28 They answered him, “Some say[y] John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets.”
29 Then he began to ask them, “But who do you say I am?”
Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah!”[z] 30 Jesus[aa] sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection(E)
31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a great deal and be rejected by the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he would be killed, but after three days he would rise again. 32 He was speaking about this matter quite openly.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, Jesus[ab] rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan, because you’re not thinking God’s thoughts, but human thoughts!”
34 Then Jesus[ac] called the crowd to himself along with his disciples and told them, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me continuously, 35 because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. 36 What profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? 37 Indeed, what can a person give in exchange for his life? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes with the holy angels in his Father’s glory.”
Footnotes
- Mark 8:1 Lit. he
- Mark 8:7 Lit. these
- Mark 8:8 Lit. They
- Mark 8:8 Lit. they
- Mark 8:10 Other mss. read Mageda; still other mss. read Magdala
- Mark 8:11 Lit. him
- Mark 8:12 Lit. Why does this generation
- Mark 8:12 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
- Mark 8:14 Lit. they
- Mark 8:15 Lit. He
- Mark 8:15 Other mss. read of the Herodians
- Mark 8:17 Lit. he
- Mark 8:18 Cf. Jer 5:21
- Mark 8:20 The Gk. lacks I broke
- Mark 8:20 The Gk. lacks loaves
- Mark 8:22 Lit. they
- Mark 8:22 Lit. him
- Mark 8:22 The Gk. lacks him
- Mark 8:23 Lit. Then he
- Mark 8:24 Lit. He
- Mark 8:25 Lit. he
- Mark 8:25 Lit. his
- Mark 8:26 Lit. he
- Mark 8:26 Other mss. lack or tell anyone in the village
- Mark 8:28 The Gk. lacks Some say
- Mark 8:29 Or Christ
- Mark 8:30 Lit. He
- Mark 8:33 Lit. he
- Mark 8:34 Lit. he
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