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In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way.”

His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”

He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”

They said, “Seven.”

He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude. They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also. They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over. Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.

10 Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the region of Dalmanutha. 11 The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him. 12 He sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, “Why does this generation[a] seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”

13 He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side. 14 They forgot to take bread; and they didn’t have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15 He warned them, saying, “Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

16 They reasoned with one another, saying, “It’s because we have no bread.”

17 Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18 Having eyes, don’t you see? Having ears, don’t you hear? Don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?”

They told him, “Twelve.”

20 “When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?”

They told him, “Seven.”

21 He asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

22 He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him. 23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spat on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.

24 He looked up, and said, “I see men; for I see them like trees walking.”

25 Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly. 26 He sent him away to his house, saying, “Don’t enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village.”

27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 They told him, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others, one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”

30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him. 31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”

34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life? 38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in his Father’s glory, with the holy angels.”

Footnotes

  1. 8:12 The word translated “generation” here (genea) could also be translated “people”, “race”, or “family”.

Jesus Feeds More than Four Thousand People(A)

At that time, after a large crowd again had gathered together with nothing to eat, Jesus[a] called his disciples and told them, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they’ve already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them away to their homes hungry, they’ll faint on the road. Some of them have come a long distance.”

His disciples answered him, “Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people out here in the wilderness?”

He asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”

“Seven,” they said.

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. They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish[b] should also be distributed. The people[c] ate and were filled. Then the disciples[d] picked up the leftover pieces—seven large baskets full. 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

  1. Mark 8:1 Lit. he
  2. Mark 8:7 Lit. these
  3. Mark 8:8 Lit. They
  4. Mark 8:8 Lit. they
  5. Mark 8:10 Other mss. read Mageda; still other mss. read Magdala
  6. Mark 8:11 Lit. him
  7. Mark 8:12 Lit. Why does this generation
  8. Mark 8:12 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  9. Mark 8:14 Lit. they
  10. Mark 8:15 Lit. He
  11. Mark 8:15 Other mss. read of the Herodians
  12. Mark 8:17 Lit. he
  13. Mark 8:18 Cf. Jer 5:21
  14. Mark 8:20 The Gk. lacks I broke
  15. Mark 8:20 The Gk. lacks loaves
  16. Mark 8:22 Lit. they
  17. Mark 8:22 Lit. him
  18. Mark 8:22 The Gk. lacks him
  19. Mark 8:23 Lit. Then he
  20. Mark 8:24 Lit. He
  21. Mark 8:25 Lit. he
  22. Mark 8:25 Lit. his
  23. Mark 8:26 Lit. he
  24. Mark 8:26 Other mss. lack or tell anyone in the village
  25. Mark 8:28 The Gk. lacks Some say
  26. Mark 8:29 Or Christ
  27. Mark 8:30 Lit. He
  28. Mark 8:33 Lit. he
  29. Mark 8:34 Lit. he