Mark 8

1 In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, he called the disciples to him and says to them, 2 “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat; 3 and if I send them away to their homes hungry they will give out on the road — and some of them have come from far away.” 4 And his disciples answered him, “Where will anyone be able to get enough bread here in a deserted place to fill these people?” 5 And he was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

6 And he instructs the crowd to lie down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves and giving thanks he broke them and was giving them to his disciples to set before them; and they set them before the crowd. 7 And they had a few small fish; and blessing them he said that these too should be set before them. 8 And they ate and were filled, and they took up seven hampers of the broken pieces that were left over. [a] 9 And there were about four thousand. And he sent them away. 10 And at once, getting into the boat with his disciples, he came into the district of Dalmanutha. [b]

11 And the Pharisees came out and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, testing him. 12 And groaning deeply in his spirit he says, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I tell you, if a sign shall be given to this generation—” [c] 13 And leaving them, he got into the boat again and went away to the other side.

14 And they had forgotten to take loaves, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he was giving them orders, saying, “Look out; watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 And they were reasoning with one another that they had no loaves. 17 And knowing it he says to them, “Why are you reasoning that you have no loaves? Do you not yet see, or understand? Is your heart hardened? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, [d] 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They say to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many hampers full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they say to him, “Seven.” 21 And he was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

22 And they come to Bethsaida. And they bring him a blind man and beg him to touch him. 23 And taking hold of the blind man’s hand he brought him outside the village; and spitting into his eyes and laying his hands on him, he was asking him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And looking up he was saying, “I see people — because I see them like trees, walking.” [e] 25 Then he laid his hands on his eyes again, and the man looked hard, and was restored, and was seeing everything clearly at a distance. 26 And he sent him to his house, saying, “Do not even go into the village.” [f]

27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road he was asking his disciples, saying to them, “Who do people say I am?” 28 And they said to him, “John the Immerser; and others, Elijah; and others, that you are one of the prophets.” 29 And he was asking them, “But you — who do you say I am?” Peter answers and says to him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he warned them to tell no one about him.

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise; [g] † 32 and he was speaking the word openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But he turned around, and seeing his disciples he rebuked Peter and says, “Get behind me, Satan, because you are not minding the things of God but the things of men.”

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples he said to them, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [h] 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever will lose his life for my sake and for the good news will save it. † 36 For what does it profit a person to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37 For what could a person give in exchange for his life? [i] 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of 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 messengers.” [j]