1 In those days, when there was again a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, 2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: 3 and if I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way; and some of them are come from far. 4 And his disciples answered him, Whence shall one be able to fill these men with bread here in a desert place? 5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. 6 And he commandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also before them. 8 And they ate, and were filled: and they took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven baskets. 9 And they were about four thousand: and he sent them away. 10 And straightway he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha. 11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. 13 And he left them, and again entering into [the boat] departed to the other side. 14 And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in the boat with them more than one loaf. 15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. 16 And they reasoned one with another, saying, We have no bread. 17 And Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither understand? have ye your heart hardened? 18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember? 19 When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve. 20 And when the seven among the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces took ye up? And they say unto him, Seven. 21 And he said unto them, Do ye not yet understand? 22 And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him. 23 And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, Seest thou aught? 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold [them] as trees, walking. 25 Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his home, saying, Do not even enter into the village. 27 And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Cæsarea Philippi: and on the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am? 28 And they told him, saying, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but others, One of the prophets. 29 And he asked them, But who say ye that I am? Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake the saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. 33 But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men. 34 And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it. 36 For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life? 37 For what should a man give in exchange for his life? 38 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Mark · American Standard Version (1901)
Mark 8 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
Places
Bethsaida
Bethsaida lay near the Jordan's inflow to the Sea of Galilee. Its precise site is debated (et-Tell and el-Araj are candidates; approximate location). Jesus rebuked it for unbelief.
Cited in the guide: Mark 8:22; John 1:44; Luke 9:10
Cross references (37)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 15:32–39; Mark 6:34–44
- 2 Matthew 9:36; Micah 7:19; Psalm 103:13; Psalm 145:15; Hebrews 4:15
- 3 Isaiah 40:31; Judges 8:4–6; 1 Samuel 14:28–31; 1 Samuel 30:10–12
- 4 Mark 6:52; Matthew 15:33; Psalm 78:19–20; Mark 6:36–37; Numbers 11:21–23
- 5 Matthew 14:15–17; Matthew 15:34; Luke 9:13; Mark 6:38
- 6 Colossians 3:17; John 6:10–11; Matthew 14:18–19; Matthew 15:35–36; 1 Corinthians 10:30–31
- 7 Matthew 14:19; John 21:5; John 21:8–9; Luke 24:41–42; Luke 6:41
- 8 Matthew 16:10; Psalm 145:16; Mark 8:19–20; 2 Kings 4:42–44; Psalm 107:8–9
- 10 Matthew 15:39
- 11 Matthew 12:38; John 4:48; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Malachi 3:15; Luke 12:54–57
- 12 Matthew 12:39–40; Mark 7:34; John 12:37–43; Matthew 16:4; Luke 11:29–30
- 13 Acts 18:6; Hosea 9:12; Matthew 7:6; Acts 13:45–46; Psalm 81:12
- 14 Matthew 16:5
- 15 1 Corinthians 5:6–8; Matthew 16:6; Matthew 16:11–12; Mark 12:13; Luke 12:1–2
- 16 Luke 20:5; Luke 9:46; Matthew 16:7–8
- 17 Mark 6:52; Hebrews 5:11–12; Mark 2:8; Isaiah 63:17; Mark 3:5
- 18 Acts 28:26–27; Matthew 13:14–15; Jeremiah 5:21; Mark 4:12; Ezekiel 12:2
- 19 Matthew 14:17–21; Luke 9:12–17; Mark 6:38–44; John 6:5–13
- 20 Matthew 15:34–38; Mark 8:1–9
- 21 Psalm 94:8; Mark 6:52; John 14:9; Mark 8:17; 1 Corinthians 15:34
- 22 Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13; Mark 6:45; Mark 2:3; John 1:44
- 23 Mark 7:33; John 9:6–7; Acts 9:8; Mark 5:23; Isaiah 51:18
- 24 Isaiah 29:18; 1 Corinthians 13:9–12; Isaiah 32:3; Judges 9:36
- 25 Proverbs 4:18; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Peter 3:18; Matthew 13:12
- 26 Matthew 8:4; Matthew 12:16; Matthew 9:30; Mark 8:23; Mark 7:36
- 27 Luke 9:18–20; Matthew 16:13–20
- 28 John 1:21; Mark 9:11–13; Matthew 14:2; Malachi 4:5; Luke 9:7–9
- 29 1 John 4:15; Matthew 16:15–16; 1 John 5:1; John 11:27; Luke 9:20
- 30 Matthew 16:20; Luke 9:21; Mark 9:9; Mark 7:36; Mark 8:26
- 31 Mark 10:33–34; John 2:19; Luke 24:26; Hosea 6:2; 1 Samuel 10:19
- 32 Matthew 16:22; John 16:25; John 16:29; John 18:20; Mark 4:38
- 33 Matthew 4:10; Philippians 3:19; 1 John 2:15; James 3:15–18; Mark 3:34
- 34 Matthew 10:38; Luke 14:26–27; John 10:27; Galatians 5:24; Galatians 2:20
- 35 2 Timothy 2:11–13; 1 Corinthians 9:23; Luke 17:33; Matthew 16:25; 2 Timothy 1:8
- 36 Matthew 16:26; Psalm 49:17; Luke 9:25; James 1:9–11; Philippians 3:7–9
- 37 Psalm 49:7–8; 1 Peter 1:18–19
- 38 Luke 12:8–9; Romans 1:16; 1 John 2:23; James 4:4; Luke 9:26
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
In expounding to you the Holy Scriptures, I as it were break bread for you. Do ye in hunger receive it, and break forth with a fulness of phrase from the heart; and ye who are rich in your banquet, be not meagre in good works and deeds. What I deal out to you is not mine own.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
… for the remission of sins be preached in His name among all nations." Now this is He who was born of Mary; for He says: "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected, and crucified, and on the third day rise again." The Gospel, therefore, knew no other son of man but Him who was of Mary, …
Hard and grievous does that appear which the Lord hath enjoined, that "whosoever will come after Him, must deny himself." But what He enjoineth is not hard or grievous, who aideth us that what He enjoineth may be done.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
But Mark saith, that when they were come unto Him, and were questioning with Him, "He sighed deeply in His spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign?" And yet surely their inquiry was deserving of anger and great displeasure; yet nevertheless the benevolent and provident One is not angry, but pities and bewails them as incurably …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
We ask them to listen to the Lord Himself, distinctly setting forth the equal dignity of His glory with the Father, in His words, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father;" and again, "When the Son cometh in the glory of his Father;" that they "should honour the Son even as they honour the Father;" and, "We beheld …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895)