Feeding 4,000

1Ina those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He summonedb the disciplesc and said to them, 2“I have compassiond on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them home hungry,e they will collapse on the way,f and some of them have come a long distance.”

4His disciples answered Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to fillg these people? ”

5“How many loaves do you have? ” He asked them.

“Seven,” they said. 6Then He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks, brokeh the loaves, and kept on giving them to His disciples to set before the people. So they served the loaves to the crowd. 7They also had a few small fish, and when He had blessed them, He said these were to be served as well. 8They ate and were filled. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9About 4,000 men were there. He dismissed them 10and immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.i

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

11Thej •Phariseesk came out and began to argue with Him, demanding of Him a signl from heavenm to testn Him. 12But sighing deeply in His spirit,o He said, “Why does this generationp demand a sign? •I assure you:q No sign will be given to this generation! ” 13Then He left them, got on board the boat again, and went to the other side.

14They had forgotten to take bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15Thenr He commanded them: “Watch out! Beware of the yeasts of the Pharisees and the yeast of •Herod.”t

16They were discussing among themselves that they did not have any bread. 17Aware of this, He said to them, “Why are you discussing that you do not have any bread? Don’t you understand or comprehend? Is your heart hardened?u 18Do you have eyes, and not see, and do you have ears, and not hear?v,w And do you not remember?x 19When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect? ”

“Twelve,” they told Him.

20“When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many large baskets full of pieces of bread did you collect? ”

“Seven,” they said.

21And He said to them, “Don’t you understand yet? ”y

Healing a Blind Man

22Then they came to Bethsaida.z They brought a blindaa man to Him and begged Him to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and brought him out of the village. Spittingab on his eyes and laying His hands onac him, He asked him, “Do you see anything? ”

24He looked up and said, “I see people — they look to me like trees walking.”ad

25Again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and he saw distinctly. He was cured and could see everything clearly. 26Then He sentae him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”af,ag

Peter’s Confession of the Messiah

27Jesusah went out with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the road He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that I am? ”

28They answered Him, “John the Baptist;ai others, Elijah; still others, one of the prophets.”aj

29“But you,” He asked them again, “who do you say that I am? ”

Peterak answered Him, “You are the •Messiah! ”al

30And He strictly warnedam them to tell no one about Him.

His Death and Resurrection Predicted

31Thenan He began to teach them that the •Son of Manao must suffer many things and be rejectedap by the elders,aq the •chief priests, and the •scribes,ar be killed, and riseas after three days.at 32He was openly talking about this. So Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33But turning around and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan,au because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns,av but man’s! ”

Take Up Your Cross

34Summoning the crowd along with His disciples, He said to them, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself,aw take up his cross,ax and follow Me.ay 35For whoever wants to saveaz his •life will lose it,ba but whoever losesbb his lifebc because of Mebd and the gospelbe will save it.bf 36For what does it benefitbg a man to gainbh the whole worldbi yet losebj his life?bk 37What can a man give in exchange for his life?bl 38For whoever is ashamedbm of Me and of My wordsbn in this adulterous and sinfulbo generation,bp the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glorybq of His Fatherbr with the holybs angels.”bt