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Again at that time many, many people came together. They had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples. He said,

`I share the suffering of the people. They have been with me for three days and they have nothing to eat.

If I send them home hungry, they will get weak and fall on the way. Some of them have come a long way.'

His disciples answered, `Where can anyone get enough food in this lonely place to feed so many people?'

Jesus asked them, `How many loaves of bread have you?' They said, `Seven.'

He told the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves of bread and thanked God for them. Then he broke the bread and gave it to the disciples. They gave it to the people.

They had a few small fish. Jesus told the disciples to divide the fish among the people also.

The people ate and had enough. They gathered seven baskets full of pieces that were left.

The number of men who ate was about four thousand.

10 Jesus sent them away. Then right away he got in the boat with his disciples and went to the country around Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus. They wanted to test him. So they asked him to show them a sign from the sky.

12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and said, `Why do people today want a sign? I tell you the truth. No sign will be given to them.'

13 He left them and went to the other side in a boat.

14 The disciples forgot to take food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat.

15 Jesus said, `Watch! Take care. Do not let the bread yeast of the Pharisees and Herod spoil you.'

16 The disciples talked to one another about the matter. They said, `He says that because we have no bread.'

17 Jesus knew what they were saying. He asked, `Why are you saying, "We have no bread"? Do you not yet understand? Are your minds so slow?

18 Can you not see with your eyes or hear with your ears? Do you not remember?

19 When I broke five loaves for five thousand people, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather?' They said, `Twelve.'

20 He said, `When I broke seven loaves for four thousand people, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather?' They said, `Seven.'

21 He said to them, `How is it that you do not yet understand?'

22 Then they came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged him to touch the man.

23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spat on his eyes and put his hands on him. Then he asked, `Do you see anything?'

24 The man looked up and said, `I see men, but they look like trees that are walking.'

25 Jesus put his hands on him again. He made him look up. Then he was healed and could see everybody clearly.

26 Jesus sent the man away to his home. `Do not go into the village and do not tell it to anyone,' he said.

27 Jesus went with his disciples to the villages in Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, `Who do people say that I am?'

28 They answered, `People say that you are John the Baptizer. Others say that you are Elijah. And others say that you are one of the prophets from long ago.'

29 Then he asked them, `But who do you say I am?' Peter answered, `You are the Christ.'

30 Jesus said to them, `Do not tell anyone about me.'

31 Then he began to teach them. He said, `The Son of Man will have much trouble. The leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes will not believe him. He will be killed. After three days he will rise.'

32 Jesus said this very plainly. Peter took him to one side and began to tell him not to say such things.

33 Jesus turned around and saw the disciples. Then he talked to Peter. He said, `Get away from me, Satan! You are not thinking the way God thinks, but the way people think.'

34 Jesus called the people and the disciples to him. He said, `If anyone wants to come with me he must leave what he himself wants to do. He must be ready to carry his own cross and come with me.

35 Anyone who tries to keep his life will lose it. And anyone who gives up his life for my sake and for the sake of the good news will find it.

36 What good will it do a man if he gets the whole world for himself but loses his soul?

37-38 hat can a person give to get back his soul? People have gone away from God and are full of wrong ways. If anyone in this time is ashamed of me and the things I say, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of that person when he comes. The Son of Man will come with his holy angels, and be great like his Father.'

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand(A)(B)(C)

During those days another large crowd gathered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people;(D) they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples answered, “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked.

“Seven,” they replied.

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them.(E) The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.(F) About four thousand were present. After he had sent them away, 10 he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven.(G) 12 He sighed deeply(H) and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to it.” 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

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(I) of the Pharisees(J) and that of Herod.”(K)

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?(L) 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,”(M) 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.”(N)

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

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

22 They came to Bethsaida,(P) and some people brought a blind man(Q) 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(R) on the man’s eyes and put his hands on(S) 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(T)

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;(U) others say Elijah;(V) 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.”(W)

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

Jesus Predicts His Death(Y)

31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man(Z) must suffer many things(AA) and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,(AB) and that he must be killed(AC) and after three days(AD) rise again.(AE) 32 He spoke plainly(AF) 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!”(AG) 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.(AH) 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.(AI) 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(AJ) will be ashamed of them(AK) when he comes(AL) in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 8:26 Some manuscripts go and tell anyone in
  2. Mark 8:35 The Greek word means either life or soul; also in verses 36 and 37.