Four Thousand Men Fed

In those days, (A)when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus summoned His disciples and *said to them, (B)I feel compassion for the [a]people because they have remained with Me for three days already and have nothing to eat. And 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.” And His disciples replied to Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough [b]bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?” And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” And He *directed the [c]people to recline on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve, and they served them to the [d]people. They also had a few small fish; and (C)after He had blessed them, He told the disciples to serve these as well. And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large (D)baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. About four thousand [e]men were there; and He dismissed them. 10 And immediately He got into the boat with His disciples and came to the region of (E)Dalmanutha.

11 (F)And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, (G)demanding from Him a [f]sign from heaven, [g]to test Him. 12 (H)Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, “Why does this generation demand a [h]sign? Truly I say to you, [i](I)no [j]sign will be given to this generation!” 13 And leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.

14 And the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15 And He was giving orders to them, saying, (J)Watch out! Beware of the [k]leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of (K)Herod.” 16 And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? (L)Do you not yet comprehend or understand? Do you still have your heart [l]hardened? 18 (M)Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke (N)the five loaves for the five thousand, how many (O)baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They *said to Him, “Twelve.” 20 “When I broke (P)the seven for the four thousand, how many large (Q)baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they *said to Him, “Seven.” 21 And He was saying to them, (R)Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they *came to (S)Bethsaida. And some people *brought a man who was blind to [m]Jesus and *begged Him to (T)touch him. 23 Taking the man who was blind by the hand, He (U)brought him out of the village; and after (V)spitting in his eyes and (W)laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he [n]looked up and said, “I see people, for I see them like trees, walking around.” 25 Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly. 26 And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter (X)the village.”

Peter’s Confession of Christ

27 (Y)Jesus went out, along with His disciples, to the villages of (Z)Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 (AA)They told Him, saying, “John the Baptist; and others say Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And He continued questioning them: “But who do you say that I am?” (AB)Peter answered and *said to Him, “You are the [o]Christ.” 30 And (AC)He [p]warned them to tell no one about Him.

31 (AD)And He began to teach them that (AE)the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise from the dead. 32 And He was stating the matter (AF)plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, (AG)Satan; for you are not setting your mind on [q]God’s purposes, but on man’s.”

34 And He summoned the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, (AH)take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For (AI)whoever wants to save his [r]life will lose it, but whoever loses his [s]life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it benefit a person to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 For what could a person give in exchange for his soul? 38 For (AJ)whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, (AK)the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He (AL)comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 8:2 Lit crowd
  2. Mark 8:4 Lit loaves
  3. Mark 8:6 Lit crowd
  4. Mark 8:6 Lit crowd
  5. Mark 8:9 I.e., 4,000 men plus women and children, cf. Matt 15:38
  6. Mark 8:11 I.e., confirming miracle
  7. Mark 8:11 Lit testing Him
  8. Mark 8:12 I.e., confirming miracle
  9. Mark 8:12 Lit if a sign shall be given, a very strong refusal
  10. Mark 8:12 I.e., confirming miracle
  11. Mark 8:15 I.e., fermented dough
  12. Mark 8:17 Or dull, insensible
  13. Mark 8:22 Lit Him
  14. Mark 8:24 Or gained sight
  15. Mark 8:29 I.e., Messiah
  16. Mark 8:30 Or strictly admonished
  17. Mark 8:33 Lit the things of God
  18. Mark 8:35 Or soul
  19. Mark 8:35 Or soul

In those days the multitude being very great, and not having what they may eat, Jesus having called near his disciples, saith to them,

`I have compassion upon the multitude, because now three days they do continue with me, and they have not what they may eat;

and if I shall let them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way, for certain of them are come from far.'

And his disciples answered him, `Whence shall any one be able these here to feed with bread in a wilderness?'

And he was questioning them, `How many loaves have ye?' and they said, `Seven.'

And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground, and having taken the seven loaves, having given thanks, he brake, and was giving to his disciples that they may set before [them]; and they did set before the multitude.

And they had a few small fishes, and having blessed, he said to set them also before [them];

and they did eat and were filled, and they took up that which was over of broken pieces -- seven baskets;

and those eating were about four thousand. And he let them away,

10 and immediately having entered into the boat with his disciples, he came to the parts of Dalmanutha,

11 and the Pharisees came forth, and began to dispute with him, seeking from him a sign from the heaven, tempting him;

12 and having sighed deeply in his spirit, he saith, `Why doth this generation seek after a sign? Verily I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.'

13 And having left them, having entered again into the boat, he went away to the other side;

14 and they forgot to take loaves, and except one loaf they had nothing with them in the boat,

15 and he was charging them, saying, `Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod,'

16 and they were reasoning with one another, saying -- `Because we have no loaves.'

17 And Jesus having known, saith to them, `Why do ye reason, because ye have no loaves? do ye not yet perceive, nor understand, yet have ye your heart hardened?

18 Having eyes, do ye not see? and having ears, do ye not hear? and do ye not remember?

19 When the five loaves I did brake to the five thousand, how many hand-baskets full of broken pieces took ye up?' they say to him, `Twelve.'

20 `And when the seven to the four thousand, how many hand-baskets full of broken pieces took ye up?' and they said, `Seven.'

21 And he said to them, `How do ye not understand?'

22 And he cometh to Bethsaida, and they bring to him one blind, and call upon him that he may touch him,

23 and having taken the hand of the blind man, he led him forth without the village, and having spit on his eyes, having put [his] hands on him, he was questioning him if he doth behold anything:

24 and he, having looked up, said, `I behold men, as I see trees, walking.'

25 Afterwards again he put [his] hands on his eyes, and made him look up, and he was restored, and discerned all things clearly,

26 and he sent him away to his house, saying, `Neither to the village mayest thou go, nor tell [it] to any in the village.'

27 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, to the villages of Cesarea Philippi, and in the way he was questioning his disciples, saying to them, `Who do men say me to be?'

28 And they answered, `John the Baptist, and others Elijah, but others one of the prophets.'

29 And he saith to them, `And ye -- who do ye say me to be?' and Peter answering saith to him, `Thou art the Christ.'

30 And he strictly charged them that they may tell no one about it,

31 and began to teach them, that it behoveth the Son of Man to suffer many things, and to be rejected by the elders, and chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and after three days to rise again;

32 and openly he was speaking the word. And Peter having taken him aside, began to rebuke him,

33 and he, having turned, and having looked on his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, `Get behind me, Adversary, because thou dost not mind the things of God, but the things of men.'

34 And having called near the multitude, with his disciples, he said to them, `Whoever doth will to come after me -- let him disown himself, and take up his cross, and follow me;

35 for whoever may will to save his life shall lose it; and whoever may lose his life for my sake and for the good news' sake, he shall save it;

36 for what shall it profit a man, if he may gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

37 Or what shall a man give as an exchange for his life?

38 for whoever may be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also shall be ashamed of him, when he may come in the glory of his Father, with the holy messengers.'