Mark 8:11-26

11Some Pharisees came to Jesus. They began to argue with him. They wanted to see him do something powerful. That would show them that God had really sent him.

12Jesus cried with a low, sad sound. He said, ‘People who are alive today want God to show them something powerful. But I tell you this: God will not do the powerful thing for them that they want.’

13Then Jesus left those Pharisees. He got back into the boat to go to the other side of the lake.

14Jesus' disciples had forgotten to take bread with them. They only had one loaf in the boat.

15Jesus said to them, ‘Be careful. Do not accept the yeast of the Pharisees or the yeast of Herod.’

16The disciples began to say to each other, ‘Jesus is saying that because we do not have any bread.’

17Jesus knew what they were talking about. So he said to them, ‘You should not be arguing about the bread. You still do not understand my teaching. You seem unable to learn.

18You are like people who have eyes but they cannot see with them. You are like people who have ears but they cannot hear with them.

19Remember that I used five loaves of bread to feed 5,000 men. How many baskets did you fill with pieces of food that were left?’ ‘There were 12 baskets,’ they replied.

20Jesus asked them, ‘I also used seven loaves to feed 4,000 people. That time, how many baskets did you fill with pieces of food?’ ‘There were seven baskets,’ they replied.

21‘You really should understand about me now,’ he said to them.

22Jesus and his disciples came to a village called Bethsaida. Some people led a blind man to Jesus. They asked Jesus to touch the man.

23Jesus took the blind man's hand and he led the man out of the village. Jesus put water from his own mouth on the man's eyes. And he put his hands on the man. ‘Can you see anything?’ Jesus asked.

24The man looked up. He said, ‘I can see people. But they look like trees that are walking about.’

25So Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes again. The man looked carefully and then his eyes were completely well. Now he could see everything clearly.

26Jesus told the man that he must go back to his home. Jesus said, ‘Do not even go into the village.’