Feeding Four Thousand

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, “I have compassion(D) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way,(E) and some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to feed(F) these people?”

“How many loaves do you have?” he asked them.

“Seven,” they said. 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. They also had a few small fish, and after he had blessed them, he said these were to be served as well. They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 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)

Footnotes

  1. 8:15 Or yeast
  2. 8:18 Jr 5:21; Ezk 12:2
  3. 8:26 Other mss add or tell anyone in the village
  4. 8:33 Or about the things of God

Feeding the Four Thousand

In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.(A) If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance.” His disciples replied, “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”(B) Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. They had also a few small fish, and after blessing them he ordered that these, too, should be distributed.(C) They ate and were filled, and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.[a]

The Demand for a Sign

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him.(D) 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”(E) 13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again he went across to the other side.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod

14 Now the disciples[b] had forgotten to bring any bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”[c](F) 16 They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” 17 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?(G) 18 Do you have eyes and fail to see? Do you have ears and fail to hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.”(H) 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.”(I) 21 Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”(J)

Jesus Cures a Blind Man at Bethsaida

22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people[d] brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him.(K) 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?”(L) 24 And the man[e] looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus[f] laid his hands on his eyes again, and he looked intently, and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.”[g](M)

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

27 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?”(N) 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”(O) 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.”[h](P) 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.(Q)

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and after three days rise again. 32 He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.(R) 33 But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”(S)

34 He called the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “If any wish to come[i] after me, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.(T) 35 For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel,[j] will save it.(U) 36 For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37 Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38 Those who are ashamed of me and of my words[k] in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”(V)

Footnotes

  1. 8.10 Other ancient authorities read Mageda or Magdala
  2. 8.14 Gk they
  3. 8.15 Other ancient authorities read the Herodians
  4. 8.22 Gk They
  5. 8.24 Gk he
  6. 8.25 Gk he
  7. 8.26 Other ancient authorities add or tell anyone in the village
  8. 8.29 Or the Christ
  9. 8.34 Other ancient authorities read follow
  10. 8.35 Other ancient authorities read lose their life for the sake of the gospel
  11. 8.38 Other ancient authorities read and of mine