Mark 8:11-26

J.B. Phillips New Testament

Jesus refuses to give a sign

^11-12 Now the Pharisees came out and began an argument with him, wanting a sign from Heaven. Jesus gave a deep sigh, and then said, “What makes this generation want a sign? I can tell you this, they will certainly not be given one!”

¹³ Then he left them and got aboard the boat again, and crossed the lake.

^14-20 The disciples had forgotten to take any food and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus spoke seriously to them, “Keep your eyes open! Be on your guard against the ‘yeast’ of the Pharisees and the ‘yeast’ of Herod!” And this sent them into an earnest consultation among themselves because they had brought no bread. Jesus knew it and said to them, “Why all this discussion about bringing no bread? Don’t you understand or grasp what I say even yet? Are you like the people who ‘having eyes, do not see, and having ears, do not hear’? Have your forgotten—when I broke five loaves for five thousand people, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. “And then there were seven loaves for four thousand people, how many baskets of pieces did you pick up?” “Seven,” they said.

²¹ “And does that still mean nothing to you?” he said.

Jesus restores sight

^22-23 So they arrived at Bethsaida where a blind man was brought to him, with the earnest request that he should touch him. Jesus took the blind man’s hand and led him outside the village. Then he moistened his eyes with saliva and putting his hands on him, asked, “Can you see at all?”

²⁴ The man looked up and said, “I can see people. They look like trees—only they are walking about.”

^25-26 Then Jesus put his hands on his eyes once more and his sight came into focus. And he recovered and saw everything sharp and clear. And Jesus sent him off to his own house with the words, “Don’t even go into the village.”