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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 Him and said to them,

“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.

“And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they would faint on the way.” For some of them came from far away.

Then His disciples answered Him, “How can we give them bread here in the wilderness?”

And He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

Then He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks; broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them. And they set them before the people.

They had also a few small fishes. And when He had given thanks, He commanded them also to be set before them.

So they ate and were satisfied. And they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left.

And those who had eaten were about four thousand. So, He sent them away.

10 And soon, He entered into a ship with His disciples and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

11 And the Pharisees came forth and began to dispute with Him, seeking a sign of Heaven from Him, and tempting Him.

12 Then He sighed deeply in His Spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say to you, a sign shall not be given to this generation.”

13 So He left them and went into the ship again and departed to the other side.

14 And they had forgotten to take bread with them and had only one loaf in the ship with them.

15 And He charged them, saying, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.”

16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”

17 And when Jesus knew it, He said to them, “Why do you reason ‘because we have no bread’? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Are your hearts still hardened?

18 “Do you have eyes and not see? And do you have ears and not hear? And do you not remember?

19 “When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.”

20 “And when I broke seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of leftovers did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.”

21 Then He said to them, “How is it that you do not understand?”

22 And He came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Him and asked Him to touch him.

23 Then he took the blind by the hand and led him out of the town; and spit in his eyes and put His hands upon him and asked him if he saw anything.

24 And he looked up, and said, “I see men, walking, like trees.”

25 After that, He put his hands upon his eyes again and made him look again. And his sight was restored. And he saw everyone clearly from far way.

26 And He sent him home to his house, saying, “Do not go into the town. And do not tell of this to anyone in the town.”

27 And Jesus went out with His disciples into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And along the way He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Whom do men say that I am?”

28 And they answered, “Some say, John Baptist; and some, Elijah; and some, one of the Prophets.”

29 And He said to them, “But whom do you say that I am?” Then Peter answered, and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

30 And He sharply charged them that they should tell no one about Him.

31 Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and would be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes; and be killed; and within three days, rise again.

32 And He spoke that thing boldly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33 Then He turned back and looked at His disciples and rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not understand the things that are of God, but the things that are of men!”

34 And He called the people to Him, with His disciples, and said to them, “Whoever will follow Me, let him forsake himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

35 “For whoever will save his life, shall lose it. But whoever shall lose his life, for My sake, and the Gospel’s, shall save it.

36 “For what shall it profit a man, though he should win the whole world, if he loses his soul?

37 “Or what shall a man exchange for his soul?

38 “For whoever among this adulterous and sinful generation shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

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.