Mar 8 | Comm | STEP | In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said to them,

Mark 8

1 In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him, and said to them, 2 "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long distance." 4 And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?" 5 And he asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven." 6 So he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, he commanded that these also should be set before them. 8 They ate, and were satisfied; and they took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 9 About four thousand men were present. And having sent them away,

10 he immediately got into the boat with his disciples, and went to the region of Dalmanutha. 11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, to test him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation." 13 And he left them, and getting into the boat again he departed to the other side. 14 Now the disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And he cautioned them, saying, "Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." 16 And they discussed it with one another, saying, "It is because we have no bread." 17 Being aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve." 20 "And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of pieces did you take up?" And they said, "Seven." 21 He said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"

22 And they came to Bethsaida; and some people brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him. 23 So he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. And when he had spit on his eyes and put his hands on him, he asked him "Do you see anything?" 24 And he looked up and said, "I see men; but they look like trees, walking." 25 Then he put his hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored, and saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples, to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?" 28 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." 29 And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." 30 And he charged them to tell no one about him. 31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke plainly about this. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But when he had turned around and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 34 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."