Mark 8

(2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)

1InG1722 thoseG1565 daysG2250 the crowdG3793 once againG3825 becameG1510 very largeG4183, andG2532 they hadG2192 nothingG3361 to eatG5101G5315. Jesus calledG4341 theG3588 disciples to HimG3101 and saidG3004, 2“I have compassionG4697 forG1909 this crowdG3793, becauseG3754 they have already beenG4357G2235 with MeG1473 threeG5140 daysG2250 andG2532 haveG2192 nothingG3756 to eatG5101G5315. 3IfG1437 I sendG630 themG846 homeG1519G846G3624 hungryG3523, they will faintG1590 alongG1722 theG3588 wayG3598. ForG2532 someG5100 of themG846 have comeG2240 a great distanceG575G3113.”

4

HisG846 disciplesG3101 repliedG611, “WhereG4159 inG1909 this desolate placeG2047G5602 couldG1410 anyoneG5100 find enough breadG740 to feedG5526 all theseG3778 people?”

5“How manyG4214 loavesG740 do you haveG2192?” Jesus askedG2065.

“SevenG2033,” they repliedG2036.

6AndG2532 He instructedG3853 theG3588 crowdG3793 to sit downG377 onG1909 theG3588 groundG1093. ThenG2532 He tookG2983 theG3588 sevenG2033 loavesG740, gave thanksG2168 and brokeG2806 them, andG2532 gaveG1325 them toG3588 HisG846 disciplesG3101 to set beforeG3908 the people. AndG2532 they distributedG3908 them to theG3588 crowdG3793. 7They also hadG2192G2532 a fewG3641 small fishG2485, andG2532 Jesus blessedG2127 themG846 and ordered thatG2036 theseG3778 be set beforeG3908 them as wellG2532.

8

The people ateG5315 andG2532 were satisfiedG5526, andG2532 the disciples picked upG142 sevenG2033 basketfulsG4711 of broken piecesG2801 that were left overG4051. 9AndG1161 aboutG5613 four thousandG5070 men1 wereG1510 present.

And whenG2532 Jesus had dismissedG630 the crowd, 10He immediatelyG2112 gotG1684 intoG1519 theG3588 boatG4143 withG3326 HisG846 disciplesG3101 and wentG2064 toG1519 theG3588 districtG3313 of DalmanuthaG1148.

The Demand for a Sign

(Matthew 16:1–4; Luke 12:54–56)

11ThenG2532 theG3588 PhariseesG5330 cameG1831 andG2532 beganG756 to argue withG4802 Jesus, testingG3985 HimG846 by demandingG2212 fromG3844 HimG846 a signG4592 fromG575 heavenG3772.

12

Jesus sighed deeplyG389 inG3588 HisG846 spiritG4151 and saidG3004, “WhyG5101 does thisG3778 generationG1074 demandG2212 a signG4592? TrulyG281 I tellG3004 youG4771, noG1487 signG4592 will be givenG1325 to thisG3778 generationG1074.” 13AndG2532 He leftG863 themG846, got back into the boatG1684G3825, and crossedG565 toG1519 theG3588 other sideG4008.

The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod

(Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1–3)

14NowG2532 the disciples had forgottenG1950 to takeG2983 breadG740, except forG1487G3361 oneG1520 loafG740 they hadG2192 withG3326 themG1438 inG1722 theG3588 boatG4143. 15“Watch outG3708!” He cautionedG1291 themG846. “BewareG991 ofG575 theG3588 leavenG2219 of theG3588 PhariseesG5330 andG2532 of HerodG2264.”

16So they began to discussG1260 withG4314 one anotherG240 the fact thatG3754 they hadG2192 noG3756 breadG740.

17Aware ofG2532G1097 their conversation, Jesus askedG3004 themG846, “WhyG5101 are you debatingG1260 aboutG3754 havingG2192 noG3756 breadG740? Do you still not seeG3768G3539 orG3761 understandG4920? Do you haveG2192G4771 such hardG4456 heartsG2588? 18‘HavingG2192 eyesG3788, do you not seeG3756G991? AndG2532 havingG2192 earsG3775, do you not hearG3756G191?’2 AndG2532 do you not rememberG3756G3421? 19WhenG3753 I brokeG2806 theG3588 fiveG4002 loavesG740 forG1519 theG3588 five thousandG4000, how manyG4214 basketfulsG2894G4134 of broken piecesG2801 did you collectG142?”

“TwelveG1427,” they answeredG3004.

20“AndG2532 whenG3753 I broke theG3588 sevenG2033 loaves forG1519 theG3588 four thousandG5070, how manyG4214 basketfulsG4711G4138 of broken piecesG2801 did you collectG142?”

“SevenG2033,” theyG846 saidG3004.

21ThenG2532 He askedG2036 themG846, “Do you still not understandG3768G4920?”

The Blind Man at Bethsaida

22When they arrivedG2064 atG1519 BethsaidaG966, some people broughtG5342 a blindG5185 man andG2532 beggedG3870 Jesus toG2443 touchG680 himG846. 23SoG2532 He tookG1949 theG3588 blindG5185 man by theG3588 handG5495 and led himG1627 outG1854 of theG3588 villageG2968. ThenG2532 He spitG4429 onG1519 the man’s eyesG3659 and placedG2007 His handsG5495 on himG846. “Can you seeG1487G991 anythingG5100?” He askedG1905.

24

The man looked upG308 and saidG2036, “I can seeG991 theG3588 peopleG444, but they lookG3708 likeG5613 treesG1186 walking aroundG4043.”

25Once againG1534G3825 Jesus placedG2007 His handsG5495 onG1909 the man’s eyesG3788, and whenG2532 he opened themG1227 his sight was restoredG600, andG2532 he could seeG1689 everythingG537 clearlyG5081. 26Jesus sentG649 himG846 homeG1519G846G3624 and saidG3004, “Do not go backG3366G1525 intoG1519 theG3588 villageG2968.”3

Peter’s Confession of Christ

(Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 9:18–20; John 6:67–71)

27ThenG2532 JesusG2424 andG2532 HisG846 disciplesG3101 went onG1831 toG1519 theG3588 villagesG2968 around CaesareaG2542 PhilippiG5376. OnG1722 theG3588 wayG3598, He questionedG1905 HisG846 disciplesG3101: “WhoG5101 do peopleG444 sayG3004 IG1473 amG1510?”

28They repliedG2036G846G3004, “Some say JohnG2491 theG3588 BaptistG910; othersG243 say ElijahG2243; and stillG1161 othersG243, oneG1520 of theG3588 prophetsG4396.”

29“ButG1161 what about youG4771?” Jesus askedG1905. “WhoG5101 do you sayG3004 IG1473 amG1510?”

PeterG4074 answeredG611, “YouG4771 areG1510 theG3588 ChristG5547.”

30AndG2532 Jesus warnedG2008 themG846 not to tell anyoneG3004G3367 aboutG4012 HimG846.

Christ’s Passion Foretold

(Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)

31ThenG2532 He beganG756 to teachG1321 themG846 thatG3754 theG3588 SonG5207 of ManG444 mustG1163 sufferG3958 many thingsG4183 andG2532 be rejectedG593 byG5259 theG3588 eldersG4245, chief priestsG749, andG2532 scribesG1122, andG2532 that He must be killedG615 andG2532 afterG3326 threeG5140 daysG2250 riseG450 again. 32He spokeG2980 this messageG3056 quite franklyG3954, andG2532 PeterG4074 took Him asideG4355G846 and beganG756 to rebukeG2008 HimG846.

33

ButG1161 Jesus, turningG1994 andG2532 looking atG3708 HisG846 disciplesG3101, rebukedG2008 PeterG4074 andG2532 saidG3004, “GetG5217 behindG3694 MeG1473, SatanG4567! ForG3754 you do not have in mindG3756G5426 theG3588 thingsG3588 of GodG2316, butG235 theG3588 thingsG3588 of menG444.”

Take Up Your Cross

(Matthew 16:24–28; Luke 9:23–27)

34ThenG2532 Jesus calledG4341 theG3588 crowd to HimG3793 along withG4862 HisG846 disciplesG3101, and He toldG2036 themG846, “IfG1487 anyoneG5100 wantsG2309 to comeG2064 afterG3694 MeG1473, he must denyG533 himselfG1438 andG2532 take upG142 hisG846 crossG4716 andG2532 followG190 MeG1473. 35ForG1063 whoeverG3739 wantsG1437G2309 to saveG4982 hisG846 lifeG5590 will loseG622 itG846, butG1161 whoeverG3739G302 losesG622 hisG846 lifeG5590 for My sakeG1752G1473 andG2532 for theG3588 gospelG2098 will saveG4982 itG846.

36

WhatG5101 does it profitG5623 a manG444 to gainG2770 theG3588 wholeG3650 worldG2889, yetG2532 forfeitG2210 hisG846 soulG5590? 37OrG1063 whatG5101 can a manG444 giveG1325 in exchangeG465 forG3588 hisG846 soulG5590? 38If anyoneG3739 is ashamed ofG1437G1870 MeG1473 andG2532 MyG1699 wordsG3056 inG1722 thisG3778 adulterousG3428 andG2532 sinfulG268 generationG1074, theG3588 SonG5207 of ManG444 will also be ashamed ofG2532G1870 himG846 whenG3752 He comesG2064 inG1722 HisG846 Father’sG3962 gloryG1391 withG3326 theG3588 holyG40 angelsG32.”