Chapter 8
1 In those days , when there was a very great multitude , and they had nothing to eat , Jesus called his disciples to himself and said to them ,
2 " I have compassion on the multitude , because they have stayed with me now three days and have nothing to eat .
3 If I send them away fasting to their home , they will faint on the way , for some of them have come a long way ."
4 His disciples answered him , " From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place ?"
5 He asked them , " How many loaves do you have ?" They said , " Seven ."
6 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground , and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks , he broke them and gave them to his disciples to serve , and they served the multitude .
7 They also had a few small fish . Having blessed them , he said to serve these also .
8 They ate and were filled . They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over .
9 Those who had eaten were about four thousand . Then he sent them away.
10 Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples and came into the region of Dalmanutha .
11 The Pharisees came out and began to question him , seeking from him a sign from heaven and testing him .
12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and said , " Why does this generation seek a sign ? Most certainly I tell you , no sign will be given to this generation ."
13 He left them , and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side .
14 They forgot to take bread; and they didn’ t have more than one loaf in the boat with them .
15 He warned them , saying , " Take heed : beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod ."
16 They reasoned with one another, saying , " It ’ s because we have no bread."
17 Jesus , perceiving it , said to them , " Why do you reason that it ’ s because you have no bread? Don’ t you perceive yet or understand ? Is your heart still hardened ?
18 Having eyes , don’t you see? Having ears , don’t you hear? Don’t you remember ?
19 When I broke the five loaves amongst the five thousand , how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up ?" They told him , " Twelve ."
20 " When the seven loaves fed the four thousand , how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up ?" They told him , " Seven ."
21 He asked them , "Don’t you understand yet ?"
22 He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him .
23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand , and brought him out of the village . When he had spat on his eyes , and laid his hands on him , he asked him if he saw anything .
24 He looked up , and said , " I see men , but I see them like walking trees ."
25 Then again he laid his hands on his eyes . He looked intently , and was restored, and saw everyone clearly .
26 He sent him away to his house , saying , "Don’ t enter into the village , nor tell anyone in the village ."
27 Jesus went out , with his disciples , into the villages of Caesarea Philippi . On the way he asked his disciples , " Who do men say that I am ?"
28 They told him , " John the Baptiser, and others say Elijah , but others , one of the prophets ."
29 He said to them , " But who do you say that I am ?" Peter answered , " You are the Christ ."
30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him .
31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things , and be rejected by the elders , the chief priests, and the scribes , and be killed, and after three days rise again .
32 He spoke to them openly . Peter took him and began to rebuke him .
33 But he , turning around and seeing his disciples , rebuked Peter , and said , " Get behind me , Satan ! For you have in mind not the things of God , but the things of men ."
34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them , " Whoever wants to come after me , let him deny himself , and take up his cross , and follow me .
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it ; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it .
36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life ?
37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life ?
38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation , the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father ’s glory with the holy angels."