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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

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.