NAS - Mark 8:1-21

8 Four Thousand Fed

¹In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples and *said to them, ²"I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.³"If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance."⁴And His disciples answered Him, "Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?" ⁵And He was asking them, "How many loaves do you have?"And they said, "Seven." ⁶And He *directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. ⁷They also had a few small fish; and after He had blessed them, He ordered these to be served as well. ⁸And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. ⁹About four thousand were there; and He sent them away. ¹⁰And immediately He entered the boat with His disciples and came to the district of Dalmanutha.

¹¹The Pharisees came out and began to argue with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, to test Him. ¹²Sighing deeply in His spirit, He *said, "Why does this generation seek for a sign? Truly I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."¹³Leaving them, He again embarked and went away to the other side.

¹⁴And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. ¹⁵And He was giving orders to them, saying, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."¹⁶They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?¹⁸"HAVING 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 broken pieces you picked up?"They *said to Him, "Twelve." ²⁰"When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?"And they *said to Him, "Seven." ²¹And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"