Mark 8:1-21

Another time there was a great crowd with Jesus. They had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his followers to him. He said, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat. I cannot send them home hungry. If they leave without eating, they will faint on the way home. Some of them live a long way from here.” Jesus’ followers answered, “But we are far away from any towns. Where can we get enough bread to feed all these people?” Jesus asked, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They answered, “We have seven loaves.” Jesus told the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. Jesus divided the bread and gave the pieces to his followers. He told them to pass out the bread to the people, and they did so. The followers also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for the fish and told his followers to give the fish to the people. All the people ate and were satisfied. Then the followers filled seven baskets with the pieces of food that were not eaten. There were about 4,000 men who ate. After they had eaten, Jesus told them to go home. Then he went in a boat with his followers to the area of Dalmanutha. The Pharisees came to Jesus and asked him questions. They wanted to trap him. So they asked Jesus to do a miracle to show that he was from God. Jesus sighed deeply. He said, “Why do you people ask for a miracle as proof? I tell you the truth. No miracle will be given to you.” Then Jesus left the Pharisees. He went in the boat to the other side of the lake. The followers had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. They had forgotten to bring more bread. Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” Among themselves, his disciples discussed the meaning of this. They said, “He said this because we have no bread.” Jesus knew what his followers were talking about. So he asked them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? You still don’t see or understand? Are your minds closed? You have eyes, but you don’t really see. You have ears, but you don’t really listen. Remember what I did before, when we did not have enough bread? I divided five loaves of bread for 5,000 people. Remember how many baskets you filled with pieces of food that were not eaten?” They answered, “We filled 12 baskets.” “And remember that I divided seven loaves of bread for 4,000 people. Remember how many baskets you filled with pieces of food that were not eaten?” They answered, “We filled 7 baskets.” Then Jesus said to them, “You remember these things I did, but you still don’t understand?”