Mark 8

Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

1 In those days, another large crowd gathered, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called His disciples and said,

2 “I feel for these people. They have been with Me three days now and got nothing to eat.

3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, some of them came from far.”

4 His disciples said, “Where are we supposed to get enough bread out here to feed all these people?”

5 He asked them, “How many loaves you got?” They said, “Seven.”

6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them, and kept handing them to the disciples to set before the people.

7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed those too and had them served.

8 Everybody ate and was satisfied. Afterward, they picked up seven baskets full of leftovers.

9 About four thousand people were there. Then He sent them away.

10 Right after that, He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

The Pharisees Demand a Sign

11 The Pharisees came and started arguing with Him, trying to test Him. They demanded a sign from heaven.

12 Jesus let out a deep sigh and said, “Why does this generation keep asking for a sign, I am telling you straight, no sign will be given to them.”

13 Then He left them, got back in the boat, and went to the other side.

The Leaven 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 Jesus warned them, “Watch out, be careful of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”

16 They started talking among themselves like, “He is saying this because we did not bring bread.”

17 Jesus knew what they were saying and said, “Why are you talking about not having bread, You still do not see it, You still do not get it, Your hearts still hard,

18 You got eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear, Do you not remember,

19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up,” They said, “Twelve.”

20 “And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets did you pick up,” They said, “Seven.”

21 He said, “And you still do not understand?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man

22 They came to Bethsaida, and people brought a blind man to Jesus, begging Him to touch him.

23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then He spit on his eyes, laid His hands on him, and asked, “Do you see anything?”

24 The man looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking.”

25 Then Jesus laid His hands on his eyes again. This time the man’s sight came clear, he saw everything plainly.

26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Do not even go back into the village.”

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

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 answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others say one of the prophets.”

29 Then He asked them, “But who do you say I am,” Peter answered Him, “You are the Christ.”

30 Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.

Jesus Predicts His Death

31 Then He started 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 again.

32 He spoke openly about it. Peter took Him aside and started rebuking Him.

33 But Jesus turned, looked at His disciples, and rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan. You are not thinking about God’s plan, you are thinking like people do.”

The Cost of Following Jesus

34 Then He called the crowd along with His disciples and said, “If anyone wants to follow Me, they have got to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Me.

35 Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.

36 What does it profit someone to gain the whole world but lose their soul,

37 What can anyone give in exchange for their soul,

38 If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this sinful and broken generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”