Mark 8

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

1In those days, when there was 1a very large crowd that had nothing to eat, Jesus called 2his disciples over and said to them, 2“I have compassion on the crowd because they have stayed with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away to their homes without having eaten, they will faint on the way, 3for some of them 4have come from far away.” 4His disciples answered him, “How can anyone feed these people with bread here in the wilderness?” 5He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6So he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground, and taking the seven loaves, he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they set them before the crowd. 7They also had a few small fish. After blessing the fish, Jesus told the disciples to set them before the crowd as well. 8The people ate and were filled, and the disciples picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, seven baskets full. 9There were about four thousand men 5who had eaten. After sending them away, 10Jesus immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees Ask For a Sign

11Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. 12Sighing deeply in his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I say 6to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13Then he left 7them, got into the boat again, and went away to the other side of the sea.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod

14Now the disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had nothing with them in the boat except for one loaf. 15Then Jesus gave them strict orders, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16So they discussed 8this with one another, saying, “He must have said this because we have no bread.” 17Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts 9still hardened? 18Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? Do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” They 10said, “Seven.” 21Then he said to them, “11How is it that you do not understand?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida

22When 12Jesus came to Bethsaida, some people brought to him a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23So he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then he spit on the man's eyes, laid his hands on him, and asked 13him if he saw anything. 24The man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees walking around.” 25So Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes 14again and had him look up. Then the man's sight was restored, and he saw 15everyone clearly. 26And Jesus sent him away to his house, saying, “Do not 16go into the village or tell anyone in the village what has happened.”

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Christ

27Then Jesus went on to the villages of Caesarea Philippi along with his disciples. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28They 17answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others say that yoʋ are one of the prophets.” 29He 18said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “Yoʋ are the Christ.” 30And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He was stating the matter plainly, so Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! For yoʋ are not thinking about the things of God, but the things of men.”

34Then he called the crowd over, along with his disciples, and said to them, “19Whoever wants to be one of my disciples must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the gospel will save it. 36For what 20will it benefit a person 21if he gains the whole world but forfeits his soul? 3722Or what can a person give in exchange for his soul? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”