Mark 8
1 In those days, there being again a great multitude, and they having nothing to eat, he called the disciples to him, and saith to them,
During those days, a large crowd of people gathered again. [After they had been there a couple days], they had no food to eat. So Jesus summoned the disciples [to come closer] and then he said to them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have remained with me now three days, and they have nothing to eat.
“This is the third day that these people have been with me, and they have nothing [left] to eat, so now I feel very sorry for them.
3 And if I send them away fasting to their houses, they will faint on the road; and some of them have come from altar.
Furthermore, if I send them home [while they are still] hungry, [some of] them will faint on the way home, because some of them have come from far away.”
4 And his disciples answered him, Whence can ally one satisfy these men with bread here in a wilderness?
[Knowing that he was suggesting that they give the people something to eat, one of] his disciples replied, “(We cannot possibly find food to satisfy this crowd, here in this place where no people live!/How can we find food to satisfy this crowd, here in this place where no people live?)” [RHQ]
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They replied, “[We have] seven [flat loaves].”
6 And he ordered the multitude to lie down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and broke, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.
Jesus commanded the crowd, “Sit down on the ground!” [After they sat down], he took the seven loaves, he thanked [God for them], he broke them [into pieces] and started giving them to his disciples in order that they might distribute them [to the people].
7 And they had a few small fishes; and having blessed them, he set them before them.
[They found that] they [also] had a few small [dried] fish. So after he thanked God for these, he told the disciples, “Distribute these also.” [After they distributed the bread and fish to the crowd],
8 And they ate, and were filled; and they took up of the fragments that remained, seven baskets.
the people ate this food and they had plenty [to] satisfy [them]. [The disciples] collected the pieces of food that were left over. [They filled] seven large baskets full of those pieces.
9 And they were about four thousand; and he sent them away.
[They estimated that] there were about 4,000 people [who ate on that day].
10 And immediately going on board the boat with his disciples, he came into the region of Dalmanutha.
Then Jesus dismissed the crowd. Immediately after that, he got into the boat along with his disciples, and they went [around Lake Galilee] to Dalmanutha district.
11 And the Pharisees came out, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him.
[In those days some] Pharisees came to Jesus. They asked him [to perform] a miracle [that would show that] God [had sent him]. They wanted to [find a way by which they could] convince the people to reject him. [So] they started to argue with him.
12 And sighing deeply in his spirit, he saith, Why doth this generation seek for a sign? Truly do I say to you, A sign will not he given to this generation.
Jesus sighed quietly to himself, and then he said, “I am disgusted that [RHQ], [even though] you people have seen how I [have healed people], you keep asking me to perform miracles! Note this: Such a miracle will certainly not be shown {I will certainly not show such a miracle} [just] for you people!”
13 And leaving them, he again went on board and crossed to the other side.
Then he left them. He got into the boat again, along [with his disciples], and they went further around [Lake Galilee].
14 And they had forgotten to take bread, and had not in the boat with them more than one loaf.
The disciples had forgotten to bring along [enough] food. Specifically, they had only one flat loaf of bread with them in the boat.
15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.
[As they were going], Jesus warned them against [the attitudes the Pharisees and Herod Antipas had, attitudes that were having a bad effect on other people. He did this by telling them a parable]. He said, “Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.
[The disciples misunderstood him]. So they said to one another, “[He must have said that] because we have no bread.”
17 And knowing it, he saith to them, Why are ye reasoning, because ye have no bread? Do ye not yet perceive nor understand? Have ye your mind still blinded?
Jesus knew [what they were discussing among themselves]. So he said to them, “([I am disappointed that you are] discussing about your not having enough bread!/Why are you discussing about your not having enough bread?) [RHQ] (You should understand by now [that I can provide miraculously for you if you need food!/Why do you not yet perceive or understand that I can provide miraculously for you if you need food]?) [RHQ] (You are not thinking!/Why are you not thinking?) [RHQ]
18 Having eyes, do ye not see? and having ears, do ye not hear? And do ye not remember,
(I am also disappointed that, although you have eyes, you do not [understand what you] see!/Why is it that, although you have eyes, you do not [understand what you] see?) [RHQ] You have ears, but you do not understand [what I say] [RHQ]!” [Then he asked], “Do you not remember [what happened]
19 when I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, and how many baskets full of fragments ye took up? They say to him, Twelve.
when I broke [only] five loaves [and fed] the 5.000 people [RHQ]? [Not only was everyone satisfied, but there was food left over] How many baskets full of pieces of bread [that were left over] did you collect?” They replied, “We collected twelve baskets full.”
20 When also the seven among the four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did ye take up? And they say, Seven.
Then he asked, “When I broke the seven loaves in order to [feed] the 4,000 people, [again when everyone had plenty to eat], how many large baskets [of pieces of bread that were left over] did you collect?” They replied, “[We collected] seven [large baskets full].”
21 And he said to them, Do ye not yet understand?
Then he kept saying to them, “([I am disappointed that] you do not understand yet [that you should never worry that you do not have enough food]!/Why do you not understand yet [that you should never worry that you do not have enough food]?)” [RHQ]
22 And they come to Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him.
They arrived [in the boat] at Bethsaida [town]. People brought to Jesus a blind man and earnestly requested that Jesus touch him [in order to heal him].
23 And taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the village; and spitting on his eyes, and putting his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.
Jesus took the hand of the blind man, led him outside the town, he put his saliva on the man’s eyes, he put his hands on the man, and then he asked him, “Do you see anything?”
24 And he looked up, and said, I can see men, for I see them as trees, walking.
The man looked up and then he said, “[Yes], I see people! They are walking around, but I cannot see them [clearly]. They look like trees!”
25 Then he again put his hands on his eyes, and he saw clearly, and was restored, and saw all things distinctly.
Then Jesus again touched the eyes of the blind man. The man looked intently and at that moment he was completely healed! He could see everything clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Go not into the village.
Jesus said to him, “Do not go into the town! [First go straight home and tell the people there about what I did]!” Then he sent the man to his home.
27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, saying to them, Who do men say that I am?
Jesus and the disciples [left Bethsaida town and went to the villages near Caesarea Philippi town]. On the way he questioned them, “Who do people say that I [really] am?”
28 And they answered him, saying, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and others, One of the prophets.
They replied, “[Some people say] that you are John the Baptizer, [who has come back to life again]. Others say [that you are the prophet] Elijah [who has returned from heaven as God promised]. And others say that you are one of the [other former] prophets [who has come back to life again].”
29 And he asked them, But who do ye say that I am? Peter answering saith to him, Thou art the Christ.
He asked them, “What about you? Who do you say that I am?” Peter replied to him, “[We believe that] you are the Messiah!”
30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one concerning him.
Then Jesus warned them strongly that they should not tell anyone [yet that he was the Messiah].
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 put to death, and after three days rise again;
Then Jesus began to teach them, “[Even though] I am the one who came from heaven, it is necessary that I suffer very much. It is also necessary that I be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the men who teach the [Jewish] laws {that the elders, the chief priests, and the men who teach the [Jewish] laws reject me}, and that I be killed {they kill me}. But on the third day [after I am killed I] will become alive again.”
32 and he told them this plainly. And Peter, taking him aside, began to rebuke him.
He said this to them clearly. But Peter took Jesus aside and then, [because he assumed that the Messiah would never die], he started to rebuke Jesus [for talking about dying].
33 But he turning about and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan! for thy thoughts are not on the things of God, but on those of men.
Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples. Then he rebuked Peter, saying, “Stop thinking like that! Satan [is causing you to talk like that! Instead] of wanting what God wants [me to do, you are wanting] me to do [only] what [most] people [would want me to do].”
34 And calling the multitude to him with his disciples also, he said to them, Whoever chooseth to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Then he summoned the crowd along with his disciples [so that they might listen to him]. He told them, “If any one [of you] wants to be my disciple, you must not do [only] what you yourself want to do. Specifically, you must [be willing to allow people to hurt you and to disgrace you. That is what they do to criminals] who are forced to carry crosses [MET] [to the places where they will be crucified]. That is what anyone who wants to be my disciple must do.
35 For whoever chooseth to save his life, will lose it; but whoever shall lose his life for the sake of me and of the glad tidings, will save it.
[You must do that], because those who try to save their lives [by denying that they belong to me when people want to kill them for believing in me] will not live [eternally], but those who are killed because of being my [disciples] and [because of telling others my] good message will live [forever with me].
36 For what doth it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?
People might get everything [they want] in this world, but (they are really gaining nothing if they do not get eternal life [because they do not become my disciples!]/what will they gain if they do not get eternal life [because they do not become my disciples]?) [RHQ]
37 For what can a man give as an exchange for his life?
([Think carefully about the fact that] there is absolutely nothing that people can give [to God] that would enable them to gain eternal life!/Is there anything that a person can give [to God] in order to gain eternal life?) [RHQ]
38 For whoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will also the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
And think about this: Those who refuse [to say that they belong to] me and who reject what I say in these days when many people have turned away [from God] and are very sinful, I, the one who came from heaven, will also refuse [to say that they belong to me] when I come back with the holy angels and have the glorious brightness that my Father has!”
