Jesus Feeds Four Thousand People
(Matthew 15.32-39)1 Not long afterward another large crowd came together. When the people had nothing left to eat, Jesus called the disciples to him and said, 2 “I feel sorry for these people, because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home without feeding them, they will faint as they go, because some of them have come a long way.”
4 His disciples asked him, “Where in this desert can anyone find enough food to feed all these people?”
5 “How much bread do you have?” Jesus asked.
“Seven loaves,” they answered.
6 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, gave thanks to God, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the crowd; and the disciples did so. 7 They also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for these and told the disciples to distribute them too. 8-9 Everybody ate and had enough—there were about four thousand people. Then the disciples took up seven baskets full of pieces left over. Jesus sent the people away 10 and at once got into a boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
The Pharisees Ask for a Miracle
(Matthew 16.1-4)11 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and started to argue with him. They wanted to trap him, so they asked him to perform a miracle to show that God approved of him. 12 But Jesus gave a deep groan and said, “Why do the people of this day ask for a miracle? No, I tell you! No such proof will be given to these people!”
13 He left them, got back into the boat, and started across to the other side of the lake.
The Yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod
(Matthew 16.5-12)14 The disciples had forgotten to bring enough bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 “Take care,” Jesus warned them, “and be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
16 They started discussing among themselves: “He says this because we don't have any bread.”
17 Jesus knew what they were saying, so he asked them, “Why are you discussing about not having any bread? Don't you know or understand yet? Are your minds so dull? 18 You have eyes—can't you see? You have ears—can't you hear? Don't you remember 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand people? How many baskets full of leftover pieces did you take up?”
“Twelve,” they answered.
20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand people,” asked Jesus, “how many baskets full of leftover pieces did you take up?”
“Seven,” they answered.
21 “And you still don't understand?” he asked them.
Jesus Heals a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22 They came to Bethsaida, where 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. After spitting on the man's eyes, Jesus placed his hands on him and asked him, “Can you see anything?”
24 The man looked up and said, “Yes, I can see people, but they look like trees walking around.”
25 Jesus again placed his hands on the man's eyes. This time the man looked intently, his eyesight returned, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus then sent him home with the order, “Don't go back into the village.”
Peter's Declaration about Jesus
(Matthew 16.13-20Luke 9.18-21)27 Then Jesus and his disciples went away to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Tell me, who do people say I am?”
28 “Some say that you are John the Baptist,” they answered; “others say that you are Elijah, while others say that you are one of the prophets.”
29 “What about you?” he asked them. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”
30 Then Jesus ordered them, “Do not tell anyone about me.”
Jesus Speaks about His Suffering and Death
(Matthew 16.21-28Luke 9.22-27)31 Then Jesus began to teach his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the teachers of the Law. He will be put to death, but three days later he will rise to life.” 32 He made this very clear to them. So Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But Jesus turned around, looked at his disciples, and rebuked Peter. “Get away from me, Satan,” he said. “Your thoughts don't come from God but from human nature!”
34 Then Jesus called the crowd and his disciples to him. “If any of you want to come with me,” he told them, “you must forget yourself, carry your cross, and follow me. 35 For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for me and for the gospel, you will save it. 36 Do you gain anything if you win the whole world but lose your life? Of course not! 37 There is nothing you can give to regain your life. 38 If you are ashamed of me and of my teaching in this godless and wicked day, then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
1 In those dayes, when there was a very great multitude, and had nothing to eate, Iesus called his disciples to him, and said vnto them, 2 I haue compassion on the multitude, because they haue nowe continued with mee three dayes, and haue nothing to eate. 3 And if I sende them away fasting to their owne houses, they woulde faint by the way: for some of them came from farre. 4 Then his disciples answered him, Whence can a man satisfie these with bread here in the wildernes? 5 And hee asked them, Howe many loaues haue ye? And they said, Seuen. 6 Then he commanded the multitude to sit downe on the grounde: and hee tooke the seuen loaues, and gaue thankes, brake them, and gaue to his disciples to set before them, and they did set them before the people. 7 They had also a few small fishes: and when he had giuen thankes, he commanded them also to be set before them. 8 So they did eate, and were sufficed, and they tooke vp of the broken meate that was left, seuen baskets full. 9 (And they that had eaten, were about foure thousand) so he sent them away. 10 And anon he entred into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 11 And the Pharises came foorth, and began to dispute with him, seeking of him a signe from heauen, and tempting him. 12 Then hee sighed deepely in his spirit, and saide, Why doeth this generation seeke a signe? Verely I say vnto you, a signe shall not be giuen vnto this generation. 13 So he left them, and went into the ship againe, and departed to the other side. 14 And they had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the shippe with them, but one loafe. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heede, and beware of the leauen of the Pharises, and of the leauen of Herod. 16 And they reasoned among themselues, saying, It is, because we haue no bread. 17 And when Iesus knew it, he said vnto them, Why reason you thus, because ye haue no bread? perceiue ye not yet, neither vnderstande? haue ye your hearts yet hardened? 18 Haue yee eyes, and see not? and haue yee eares, and heare not? and doe ye not remember? 19 When I brake the fiue loaues among fiue thousand, how many baskets full of broken meate tooke ye vp? They said vnto him, Twelue. 20 And when I brake seuen among foure thousande, howe many baskets of the leauings of broken meate tooke ye vp? And they said, Seuen. 21 Then he saide vnto them, Howe is it that ye vnderstand not? 22 And hee came to Bethsaida, and they brought a blinde man vnto him, and desired him to touch him. 23 Then he tooke the blinde by the hand, and ledde him out of the towne, and spat in his eyes, and put his handes vpon him, and asked him, if he sawe ought. 24 And he looked vp, and said, I see men: for I see them walking like trees. 25 After that, he put his hands againe vpon his eyes, and made him looke againe. And hee was restored to his sight, and sawe euery man a farre off clearely. 26 And hee sent him home to his house, saying, Neither goe into the towne, nor tell it to any in the towne. 27 And Iesus went out, and his disciples into the townes of Cesarea Philippi. And by the way hee asked his disciples, saying vnto them, Whome doe men say that I am? 28 And they answered, Some say, Iohn Baptist: and some, Elias: and some, one of the Prophets. 29 And he said vnto them, But whome say ye that I am? Then Peter answered, and saide vnto him, Thou art that Christ. 30 And he sharpely charged them, that concerning him they should tell no man. 31 Then hee began to teache them that the Sonne of man must suffer many things, and should be reproued of the Elders, and of the hie Priestes, and of the Scribes, and be slaine, and within three dayes rise againe. 32 And he spake that thing boldly. Then Peter tooke him aside, and began to rebuke him. 33 Then he turned backe, and looked on his disciples, and rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behinde me, Satan: for thou vnderstandest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men. 34 And hee called the people vnto him with his disciples, and saide vnto them, Whosoeuer will follow me, let him forsake himselfe, and take vp his crosse, and follow me. 35 For whosoeuer will saue his life, shall lose it: but whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospels, he shall saue it. 36 For what shall it profite a man, though he should winne the whole world, if he lose his soule? 37 Or what exchange shall a man giue for his soule? 38 For whosoeuer shall be ashamed of mee, and of my wordes among this adulterous and sinfull generation, of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed also, when he commeth in the glorie of his Father with the holy Angels.