Feeding 4,000

8 In^(A) those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He summoned^(B) the disciples^(C) and said to them, ² “I have compassion^(D) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with Me three days and have nothing to eat. ³ If I send them home hungry,^[a] they will collapse on the way,^(E) and some of them have come a long distance.”

⁴ His disciples answered Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to fill^(F) these people?”

⁵ “How many loaves do you have?” He asked them.

“Seven,” they said. ⁶ Then He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks, broke^(G) the loaves, and kept on giving them to His disciples to set before the people. So they served the loaves to the crowd. ⁷ They also had a few small fish, and when He had blessed them, He said these were to be served as well. ⁸ They ate and were filled. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. ⁹ About 4,000 men were there. He dismissed them ¹⁰ and immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.^[b]

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

¹¹ The^(H) Pharisees^(I) came out and began to argue with Him, demanding of Him a sign^(J) from heaven^(K) to test^(L) Him. ¹² But sighing deeply in His spirit,^(M) He said, “Why does this generation^(N) demand a sign? I assure you:^(O) No sign will be given to this generation!” ¹³ Then He left them, got on board the boat again, and went to the other side.

¹⁴ They had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ Then^(P) He commanded them: “Watch out! Beware of the yeast^(Q) of the Pharisees and the yeast 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 that you do not have any bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Is your heart hardened?^{(S) 18} Do you have eyes, and not see, and do you have ears, and not hear?^(T)[c] And do you not remember?^{(U) 19} When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect?”

“Twelve,” they told Him.

²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many large baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect?”

“Seven,” they said.

²¹ And He said to them, “Don’t you understand yet?”^(V)

Healing a Blind Man

²² Then 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 to me like trees walking.”^(AA)

²⁵ Again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and he saw distinctly. He was cured and could see everything clearly. ²⁶ Then He sent^(AB) him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”^[d](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 again, “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 the Son of Man^(AK) must suffer many things and be rejected^(AL) by the elders,^(AM) the chief priests, and the scribes,^(AN) be killed, and rise^(AO) after three days.^{(AP) 32} He was openly talking about this. So 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) because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns,^[e] but man’s!”

Take Up Your Cross

³⁴ Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must 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) a man to gain^(BC) the whole world^(BD) yet lose^(BE) his life?^{(BF) 37} What can a man give in exchange for his life?^{(BG) 38} For whoever is ashamed^(BH) of Me and of 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)