Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

(A)In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, he called his disciples to him and said to them, (B)“I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days 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 far away.” And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” And he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, (C)“Seven.” And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and (D)having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. And they had a few small fish. And (E)having blessed them, he said that these also should be set before them. And (F)they ate and were satisfied. And they took up the broken pieces left over, (G)seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. 10 And immediately he got into (H)the boat with his disciples and went to the district of (I)Dalmanutha.[a]

The Pharisees Demand a Sign

11 (J)The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, (K)seeking from him (L)a sign from heaven (M)to test him. 12 And (N)he sighed deeply (O)in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 And (P)he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

14 Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; (Q)beware of (R)the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of (S)Herod.”[b] 16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And (T)Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? (U)Do you not yet perceive (V)or understand? (W)Are your hearts hardened? 18 (X)Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke (Y)the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And (Z)the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

22 And they came (AA)to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And (AB)he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when (AC)he had (AD)spit on his eyes and (AE)laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus[c] laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, (AF)“Do not even enter the village.”

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

27 (AG)And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, (AH)“John the Baptist; and others say, (AI)Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, (AJ)“You are (AK)the Christ.” 30 (AL)And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection

31 (AM)And he began to teach them that (AN)the Son of Man must (AO)suffer many things and (AP)be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and (AQ)after three days rise again. 32 And he said this (AR)plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, (AS)“Get behind me, Satan! For you (AT)are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him (AU)deny himself and (AV)take up his cross and follow me. 35 For (AW)whoever would save his life[d] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake (AX)and the gospel's will save it. 36 (AY)For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For (AZ)what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For (BA)whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this (BB)adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed (BC)when he comes in the glory of his Father with (BD)the holy angels.”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 8:10 Some manuscripts Magadan, or Magdala
  2. Mark 8:15 Some manuscripts the Herodians
  3. Mark 8:25 Greek he
  4. Mark 8:35 The same Greek word can mean either soul or life, depending on the context; twice in this verse and once in verse 36 and once in verse 37

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.'