1 In those days, when a large crowd again assembled [i.e., to listen to Jesus' teaching] and did not have anything to eat, Jesus called His disciples and said to them,
2 "I feel deep pity for this crowd because they have continued listening to me for three days now and have nothing [left] to eat.
3 And if I send them home hungry they will become weak on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."
4 And His disciples replied to Him, "Where will a person get enough bread to feed these people in such a deserted place like this?"
5 And He asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" And they answered, "We have seven loaves."
6 Then He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground; he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks to God [for them], He divided the food and gave it to His disciples to set in front of them. They [in turn] set it in front of the crowd.
7 They [also] had a few small fish and after asking God's blessing on them, He ordered these also to be set in front of them.
8 And they [all] ate until they were full, then gathered up seven baskets of broken pieces which were left over.
9 The number [who ate] was about four thousand men [besides women and children. See Matt. 15:38]. Then Jesus sent them away.
10 Immediately He boarded a boat with His disciples and crossed [to the west side of the lake], to the region of Dalmanutha. [Note: Matt. 15:39 says "Magadan," which was probably in the same vicinity as Dalmanutha].
11 The Pharisees and Sadducees [i.e., these were strict sects of the Jewish religion], came out and began disputing with Jesus, asking for a [supernatural] sign from Him, [in an attempt] to test Him.
12 Then He sighed deeply in His spirit and said, "Why does this generation of people look for a [supernatural] sign? Truly I tell you, there will not be any [supernatural] sign given to this generation."
13 Then He left them and boarded a boat again and sailed to the other side [i.e., the east side of Lake Galilee].
14 Now Jesus' disciples had forgotten to take [any] food [with them], and had only one loaf of bread in the boat.
15 Then Jesus ordered them, saying, "Pay attention and watch out for the leavening [effect] of the Pharisees and Herod." [Note: By "Herod" is probably meant the Herodians, who were a party favorable to King Herod and, along with the Pharisees and Sadducees, were out to get Jesus. See Matt. 16:6].
16 And they began reasoning with one another, saying, " [Why be concerned about yeast since] we do not have [any] bread?"
17 Jesus, being aware of what they were thinking, said, "Why are you reasoning about not having any bread? Have you not yet perceived or understood? Have your hearts become insensitive?
18 Even though you have eyes, do you not see? And even though you have ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?
19 When I divided the five loaves of bread among the five thousand persons, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather up?" They said to Him, "Twelve baskets full."
20 He again asked, "And when the seven loaves were divided among the four thousand persons, how many large basketfuls of broken pieces did you gather up?" And they said to Him, "Seven large basketfuls."
22 And when they came to Bethsaida some people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Him to touch him [i.e., for healing].
23 [So], He took hold of the blind man by his hand and brought him out of the village. When Jesus spit [and put His saliva] on his eyes [See 7:33 for a similar use of His saliva in healing] and placed His hands on him [for healing], He asked him, "Can you see anything?"
24 The man looked up and said, " [Yes], I see people, but they look like trees walking around."
25 Then Jesus again placed His hands on his eyes; the man stared intently, then his sight was [completely] restored and he was able to see everything clearly.
25 miles north of Lake Galilee]. On their way, He asked His disciples, "Who are people saying that I am?"
26 Then Jesus sent him home, saying, "Do not even go through the village [on your way]."
27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the villages [in the vicinity] of Caesarea Philippi [Note: This was a city about
28 And they answered Him, " [Some say] you are John the Immerser; others say [the prophet] Elijah, but others say [you are] one of the prophets."
29 Then He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered Him, "You are the Christ [i.e., God's specially chosen one]."
31 Jesus then began teaching them that the Son of man must suffer very much, be rejected by the [Jewish] elders, leading priests, and experts in the law of Moses and be killed, but rise again [from the dead] after three days.
32 And He spoke about this freely. But Peter took Jesus aside and began rebuking Him [i.e., for saying such things].
33 But He turned around, and looking at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying to him, "Get away from me, Satan; for you are not thinking about God's things but about men's."
34 And He called the crowd to Him, along with His disciples, and said to them, "If anyone wants to be my follower, he should deny himself [i.e., of always having his own way] and accept his cross [i.e., his responsibilities, with all their difficulties] and then he can become my follower.
35 For whoever would [try to] save his life [i.e., by neglecting spiritual things] will lose it [i.e., miss out on the blessings of God]. But whoever [is willing] to lose his life [i.e., in commitment to God's service] for my sake and [the work of] the Gospel's sake, will save it [i.e., obtain both temporal and spiritual blessings].
36 For what would it benefit a person to gain the whole world [i.e., of material things] and give up his life [i.e., of spiritual blessings]?
37 Or what should a person give in exchange for his life?
38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this [spiritually] unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of him when He returns in the splendor of His Father, accompanied by the holy angels."