1In those days, another large crowd was [assembled] there and the people had nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples to himself and told them, 2”I have compassion on the people because they have stayed with me for three days now, and they have nothing to eat. 3If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come from far away.”
4His disciples replied, “From where could we satisfy these people with bread, here, in a deserted place?”
5Jesus491 asked them, “How many loaves do you have?”
They replied, “Seven.”
6Jesus directed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. After giving thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the people. 7They also had a few small fish. After blessing them, Jesus also told them to serve the fish. 8The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over. 9There were about four thousand [people]. After this, Jesus sent them away.
The Pharisees ask for a sign—The yeast of the Pharisees
10Right after this, he got into the boat with his disciples and arrived into the region of Dalmanutha. 11The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and putting him to the test. 12Jesus sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why is this generation seeking a sign? Amen, I tell you: no sign will be given to this generation!”
13And he left them, [entering] into the boat, and departed again to the other side. 14But the disciples492 forgot to take bread and had only one loaf in the boat with them. 15Jesus warned them in these words: “Be watchful, beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
16They reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread!”
17Jesus, perceiving this, said to them, “Why do you reason that it is because you have no bread [that I have said this]? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18Having eyes, do you not see? Having ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather up?”
They told him, “Twelve!”
20”And after the seven loaves had fed four thousand people, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather up?”
They replied, “Seven!”
21Jesus asked them, “Do you still not understand?”
The healing of a blind man
22When he arrived at Bethsaida, people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23Jesus took hold of the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spit on his eyes, laid his hands on the man, and asked him if he saw anything.
24The man looked up and said, “I see people! [I see them] like trees walking!”
25Again, Jesus493 laid his hands on the man’s eyes, and made him look up. [His sight] was restored and he saw everyone clearly. 26And Jesus494 sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not enter into the village and do not tell anyone in the village.”
Peter’s confession about Jesus—First announcement of the passion
27Jesus went out with his disciples into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”
28They answered, “John the Baptizer, and others say Elias, but others yet [say that you are] one of the prophets.”
29Jesus said to them, “But you, who do you say that I am?”
And Peter answered, “You are the Christ!”495
30Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone who he was.496 31He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the presbyters, the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He spoke to them openly. Peter took him [aside] and began to rebuke him. 33But Jesus, turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men.”
Requirements for discipleship
34Jesus called the multitude to himself with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 35Indeed, whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will save it. 36What will it profit if someone gains the whole world and loses497 his life? 37Or what will someone give in exchange for his life? 38Whoever will be ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
The Lord’s transfiguration
- Greek “he”
- Greek “they”
- Greek “he”
- Greek “he”
- Or “Messiah (Anointed One)”
- Or “about him”
- Or “forfeits, gives up”
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
