Mark, 8

1. Soon afterwards Jesus was in the midst of another large crowd that obviously had nothing to eat. So he called his disciples and said to them,

2. "I feel sorry for these people because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat.

3. If I send them to their homes hungry, they will faint on the way; some of them have come a long way."

4. His disciples replied, "Where in a deserted place like this could we get enough bread to feed these people?"

5. He asked them, "How many loaves have you?" And they answered, "Seven."

6. Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves and giving thanks, he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute. And they distributed them among the people.

7. They also had some small fish, so Jesus said a blessing and asked that these be shared as well.

8. The people ate and were satisfied. The broken pieces were collected, seven wicker baskets full of leftovers.

9. Now there had been about four thousand people. Jesus sent them away

10. and immediately got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11. The Pharisees came and started to argue with Jesus. Hoping to embarrass him, they asked for some heavenly sign.

12. Then his spirit was moved. He gave a deep sigh and said, "Why do the people of this present time ask for a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this people."

13. Then he left them, got into the boat again and went to the other side of the lake.

14. The disciples had forgotten to bring more bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

15. Then Jesus warned them, "Keep your eyes open and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod."

16. And they said to one another, "He saw that we have no bread."

17. Aware of this, Jesus asked them, "Why are you talking about the loaves you are short of? Do you not see or understand? Are your minds closed?

18. Have you eyes that don't see and ears that don't hear? And do you not remember

19. when I broke the five loaves among five thousand? How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?" They answered, "Twelve."

20. "And having seven loaves for the four thousand, how many wicker baskets of leftovers did you collect?" They answered, "Seven."

21. Then Jesus said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

22. When they came to Bethsaida, Jesus was asked to touch a blind man who was brought to him.

23. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had put spittle on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked, "Can you see anything?"

24. The man, who was beginning to see, replied, "I see people! They look like trees, but they move around."

25. Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again and the man could see perfectly. His sight was restored and he could see everything clearly.

26. Then Jesus sent him home saying, "Do not return to the village."

27. Jesus set out with his disciples for the villages around Cesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked them, "Who do people say I am?"

28. And they told him, "Some say you are John the Baptist; others say you are Elijah or one of the prophets." Then Jesus asked them,

29. "But you, who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Messiah."

30. And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31. Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. He would be killed and after three days rise again.

32. Jesus said all this quite openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to protest strongly.

33. But Jesus turning around, and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter saying, "Get behind me Satan! You are thinking, not as God does, but as people do."

34. Then Jesus called the people and his disciples and said, "If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.

35. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will save it.

36. What good is it to gain the whole world but destroy yourself?

37. There is nothing you can give to recover your life.

38. I tell you: If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinful people, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the Glory of his Father with the holy angels."