Food for 4,000 men

1In those days, the multitude being very large and not having anything to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them:

2“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me three days now and have nothing to eat.

3If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will give out on the way, because some of them have come a long distance.”

4His disciples answered Him, “From what source could anyone satisfy these people with bread here in a wilderness?” ¹⁵⁴

5He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

6So He told the crowd to sit down on the ground; then taking the seven loaves and giving thanks, He broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before the crowd, and they did.

7They also had a few small fish; so blessing them He said to distribute them as well.

8Well they ate and were filled; they even took up seven hampers of broken pieces that were left over.

9Now those who had eaten were about four thousand; and He sent them away.

10Then He got right into the boat with His disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha. ¹⁵⁵

Bad leaven

11The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, requesting of Him a sign from heaven, by way of testing Him.

12But He sighed deeply in His spirit and said: “Why does this generation seek a sign? I tell you emphatically, no sign shall be given to this generation!”

13Turning His back on them, He got back into the boat ¹⁵⁶and went off to the other side.

14(His disciples had forgotten to take bread; they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.) ¹⁵⁷

15And He charged them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” ¹⁵⁸

16So they started reasoning among themselves, saying, “It's because we have no bread.”

17Being aware of it Jesus said to them: “Why are you reasoning because you have no bread? Do you still neither perceive nor understand? Do you still have hearts that have been hardened? ¹⁵⁹

18Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear, and do you not remember?

19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of pieces did you take up?” They say to Him, “Twelve.”

20“And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many hampers full of pieces did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.”

21So He said to them, “How is it that you still don't understand?” ¹⁶⁰

A blind man

22Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him and begged Him to touch him.

23So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; then spitting into his eyes ¹⁶¹and laying hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

24And looking up he said, “I do see men, only they look like walking trees.” ¹⁶²

25Then He put His hands on his eyes again, and made him look up; and he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

26Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the village nor tell anyone in the village.” ¹⁶³

Peter is inspired

27Then Jesus and His disciples set out for the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He questioned His disciples, saying to them, “Who are people saying that I am?”

28So they answered, “John the Baptist; others Elijah; still others one of the prophets.”

29He said to them, “And who do you say that I am?” So Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ!”

30Then He charged them that they should tell no one about Him.

31He then began to teach them that the Son of the Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

32He said these things quite plainly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33But He turned, looked at His disciples, and rebuked Peter, saying: “Get behind me, Satan! ¹⁶⁴You have in mind men's values, not God's values.”

The cost of discipleship

34He summoned the crowd, along with His disciples, and said to them: “Whoever wants to follow along behind me must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

35Because whoever may resolve to ‘save’ his life will waste it; but whoever may ‘waste’ his life for my sake and the Gospel's, he will save it. ¹⁶⁵

36Well, what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

38Yes, whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of the Man will also be ashamed of Him whenever He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy Angels.” ¹⁶⁶