1 In those days, when a large crowd again had gathered with nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples and said to them,

2 "I have compassion for the crowd because they have already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat.

3 If I send them away to their homes hungry, they will faint on the road. Some of them have come a long distance."

4 His disciples answered him, "Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people out here in the wilderness?"

5 He asked them,"How many loaves of bread do you have?"They said, "Seven."

6 So he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples to distribute. So they served them to the crowd.

7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish should also be distributed.

8 The people ate and were filled. Then the disciples picked up the leftover pieces—seven large baskets full.

9 Now about 4,000 men were there. Then he sent them on their way.

10 Immediately he got into a boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees arrived and began arguing with Jesus. They tested him by demanding from him a sign from heaven.

12 He sighed deeply in his spirit and said,"Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation."

13 Leaving them, he got into a boat again and crossed to the other side.

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

15 Jesus had been warning them,"Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!"

16 So they were discussing with one another the fact that they didn't have any bread.

17 Knowing this, Jesus said to them,"Why are you discussing the fact that you don't have any bread? Don't you understand or perceive yet? Are your hearts hardened?

18 Doyou have eyes but fail to see? Do you have ears but fail to hear?Don't you remember?

19 WhenI broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?"They told him, "Twelve."

20 "When I brokethe seven loavesfor the 4,000, how many large baskets did you fill with the leftover pieces?"They told him, "Seven."

21 Then he said to them,"Don't you perceive yet?"

22 As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged him to touch him.

23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. He spit into his eyes, placed his hands on him, and asked him,"Do you see anything?"

24 The man looked up and said, "I see people, but they look like trees walking around."

25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes again, and he saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he saw everything perfectly even from a distance.

26 Then Jesus sent him home, saying,"Don't go into the village or tell anyone in the village."

27 Then Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he was asking his disciples,"Who do people say I am?"

28 They answered him, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the prophets."

29 Then he began to ask them,"But who do you say I am?"Peter answered him, "You are the Christ!"

30 Jesus sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a great deal and be rejected by the elders, the high priests, and the scribes. Then he would be killed, but after three days he would rise again.

32 He was speaking about this matter quite openly.Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.

33 But turning and looking at his disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter, saying,"Get behind me, Satan! For you are not thinking God's thoughts but human thoughts!"

34 Then Jesus called the crowd to himself along with his disciples and said to them,"If anyone wants to follow me, he must deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow me continually.

35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it.

36 For what profit will a person have if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?

37 Indeed, what can a person give in exchange for his life?

38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."