Mark 8:1-20 ▼

1 At that time, after a large crowd again had gathered together with nothing to eat, Jesus 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.

3 If I send them away to their homes hungry, they'll faint on the road. Some of them have come a long distance.|

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

5 He asked them, |How many loaves of bread do you have?| |Seven,| they said.

6 So 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.

7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish should also be distributed.

8 The people ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up the leftover pieces—seven large baskets full.

9 Now about 4,000 men were there. Then he sent them on their way.

10 Immediately he got into a boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees arrived and began arguing with Jesus. They tested him by demanding from him a sign from heaven.

12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and remarked, |Why do those living today demand a sign? I tell all of you with certainty, no sign will be given to this generation.|

13 Leaving them, he got into a boat again and crossed to the other side.

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take any bread along, but they had one loaf with them in the boat.

15 Jesus had been warning them, |Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!|

16 So they were discussing with one another the fact that they didn't have any bread.

17 Knowing this, Jesus 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?

18 Do you have eyes, but fail to see? Do you have ears, but fail to hear? Don't you remember?

19 When 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 broke the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many large baskets did you fill with the leftover pieces?| They told him, |Seven.|