Christ feeds four thousand. He gives sight to a blind man. He foretells his passion.

¹ In those days, again, when there was a great crowd, and they did not have anything to eat, calling together his disciples, he said to them:

² “I have compassion for the multitude, because, behold, they have persevered with me now for three days, and they do not have anything to eat.

³ And if I were to send them away fasting to their home, they might faint on the way.” For some of them came from far away.

⁴ And his disciples answered him, “From where would anyone be able to obtain enough bread for them in the wilderness?”

⁵ And he questioned them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

⁶ And he instructed the crowd to sit down to eat on the ground. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke and gave it to his disciples in order to place before them. And they placed these before the crowd.

⁷ And they had a few small fish. And he blessed them, and he ordered them to be placed before them.

⁸ And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up what had been leftover from the fragments: seven baskets.

⁹ And those who ate were about four thousand. And he dismissed them.

¹⁰ And promptly climbing into a boat with his disciples, he went into the parts of Dalmanutha.

¹¹ And the Pharisees went out and began to contend with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, testing him.

¹² And sighing deeply in spirit, he said: “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, if only a sign will be given to this generation!”¹

1. 8:12Many people have questioned why Mark says that no sign will be given, but Matthew says that a sign will be given. But in the Latin, it is not saying exactly that no sign will be given, but something less definitive and more akin to Matthew’s ‘no sign except’ phrasing.(Conte)

¹³ And sending them away, he climbed into the boat again, and he went away across the sea.

¹⁴ And they forgot to take bread. And they did not have any with them in the boat, except one loaf.

¹⁵ And he instructed them, saying: “Consider and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod.”

¹⁶ And they discussed this with one another, saying, “For we have no bread.”

¹⁷ And Jesus, knowing this, said to them: “Why do you consider that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet know or understand? Do you still have blindness in your heart?

¹⁸ Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember,

¹⁹ when I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments you took up?” They said to him, “Twelve.”

²⁰ “And when the seven loaves were among the four thousand, how many baskets of fragments did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.”¹

1. 8:20There is an interesting difference here, between the two events: one uses ‘cophinos’ to describe the containers, and the other uses ‘sportas.’ This difference points to a difference in the event, in the spiritual meaning of the event, but I do not know what it is.(Conte)

²¹ And he said to them, “How is it that you do not yet understand?”

²² And they went to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to him. And they petitioned him, so that he would touch him.

²³ And taking the blind man by the hand, he led him beyond the village. And putting spit on his eyes, laying his hands on him, he asked him if he could see anything.

²⁴ And looking up, he said, “I see men but they are like walking trees.”

²⁵ Next he placed his hands again over his eyes, and he began to see. And he was restored, so that he could see everything clearly.

²⁶ And he sent him to his house, saying, “Go into your own house, and if you enter into the town, tell no one.”

²⁷ And Jesus departed with his disciples into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way, he questioned his disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

²⁸ And they answered him by saying: “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others perhaps one of the prophets.”

²⁹ Then he said to them, “Yet truly, who do you say that I am?” Peter responded by saying to him, “You are the Christ.”

³⁰ And he admonished them, not to tell anyone about him.

³¹ And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

³² And he spoke the word openly. And Peter, taking him aside, began to correct him.

³³ And turning away and looking at his disciples, he admonished Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan, for you do not prefer the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.”

³⁴ And calling together the crowd with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone chooses to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

³⁵ For whoever will have chosen to save his life, will lose it. But whoever will have lost his life, for my sake and for the Gospel, shall save it.

³⁶ For how does it benefit a man, if he gains the whole world, and yet causes harm to his soul?¹

1. 8:36This verse, in Latin, does not say ‘if he loses his soul,’ but clearly says instead, ‘if he causes harm to his soul.’(Conte)

³⁷ Or, what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

³⁸ For whoever has been ashamed of me and of my words, among this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when he will arrive in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels.”

³⁹ And he said to them, “Amen I say to you, that there are some among those standing here who shall not taste death until they see the kingdom of God arriving in power.”