Jesus Feeds More than Four Thousand People

(Matthew 15:32-39)

1At that time, after a large crowd again had gathered together with nothing to eat, Jesusa called his disciples and told them, 2“I have compassion for the crowd, because they’ve already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away to their homes hungry, they’ll faint on the road. Some of them have come a long distance.”

4His disciples answered him, “Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people out here in the wilderness?”

5He asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”

“Seven,” they said.

6So he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples to distribute. So they served them to the crowd. 7They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fishb should also be distributed. 8The peoplec ate and were filled. Then the disciplesd picked up the leftover pieces—seven large baskets full. 9Now about 4,000 men were there. Then he sent them on their way. 10Immediately he got into a boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.e

Interpreting the Time

(Matthew 16:1-4; Luke 12:54-56)

11The Pharisees arrived and began arguing with Jesus.f They tested him by demanding from him a sign from heaven. 12He sighed deeply in his spirit and remarked, “Why do those living todayg demand a sign? I tell all of youh with certainty, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13Leaving them, he got into a boat again and crossed to the other side.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

(Matthew 16:5-12)

14Now the disciplesi had forgotten to take any bread along, but they had one loaf with them in the boat. 15Jesusj had been warning them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”k

16So they were discussing with one another the fact that they didn’t have any bread. 17Knowing this, Jesusl asked them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand or perceive yet? Are your hearts hardened? 18Do you have eyes, but fail to see? Do you have ears, but fail to hear?m Don’t you remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?”

They told him, “Twelve.”

20“When I broken the seven loaveso for the 4,000, how many large baskets did you fill with the leftover pieces?”

They told him, “Seven.”

21Then he asked them, “Don’t you understand yet?”

Jesus Heals a Blind Man in Bethsaida

22As they came to Bethsaida, some peoplep brought a blind man to Jesusq and begged him to touch him.r 23Jesuss took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spit into his eyes, placed his hands on him, and asked him, “Do you see anything?”

24The mant looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees walking around.” 25Then Jesusu placed his hands on the man’sv eyes again, and he saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he saw everything perfectly, even from a distance.

26Then Jesusw sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village or tell anyone in the village.”x

Peter Declares His Faith in Jesus

(Matthew 16:13-20; Luke 9:18-21)

27Then Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he was asking his disciples, “Who do people say I am?”

28They answered him, “Some sayy John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets.”

29Then he began to ask them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah!”z 30Jesusaa sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

(Matthew 16:21-28; Luke 9:21-27)

31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a great deal and be rejected by the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he would be killed, but after three days he would rise again. 32He was speaking about this matter quite openly.

Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, Jesusbb rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan, because you’re not thinking God’s thoughts, but human thoughts!”

34Then Jesuscc called the crowd to himself along with his disciples and told them, “If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me continuously, 35because whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. 36What profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? 37Indeed, what can a person give in exchange for his life? 38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes with the holy angels in his Father’s glory.”