Mark 8

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

1In those days another large crowd gathered and had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples and said, 2“I have compassion on the crowd because they have stayed with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come from far away.” 4His disciples answered, “Where could anyone get enough bread here in this deserted place to feed these people?” 5He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.” 6He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. 7They also had a few small fish. After blessing them, Jesus said to set these before the people too. 8They ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven baskets of leftover pieces. 9There were about four thousand people. Then Jesus sent them away.

A Sign Is Demanded

10Immediately Jesus got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. 11The Pharisees came and began arguing with him, testing him by asking for a sign from heaven. 12Sighing deeply in his spirit, he said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13Then he left them, got back into the boat, and went to the other side.

Bread and Hardened Hearts

14The disciples had forgotten to bring bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16They began discussing with one another that they had no bread. 17Jesus knew what they were saying and asked, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18Having eyes, do you not see? Having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They said, “Twelve.” 20“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you pick up?” They said, “Seven.” 21He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

A Blind Man Begins to See

22They came to Bethsaida. People brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him. 23Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. After spitting on his eyes and laying his hands on him, he asked, “Do you see anything?” 24The man looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again. The man looked intently, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home and said, “Do not even go into the village.”

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

27Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28They told him, “John the Baptist; others say Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.” 29He asked them, “But you—who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30Jesus strictly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

The Son of Man Must Suffer

31Then he began teaching them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and after three days rise. 32He spoke this word openly. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But Jesus turned, looked at his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not setting your mind on the things of God but on human things.”

The Way of the Cross

34Jesus called the crowd together with his disciples and said, “If anyone wants to come after me, let that person deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. 35For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake and for the good news will save it. 36What does it profit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37What can a person give in exchange for their life? 38Whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of that person when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”