¹ IN those days the multitude being exceedingly great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus calling his disciples to him, said unto them,

² I have compassion on the multitude, for they have stayed with me already three days, and have nothing to eat:

³ and if I send them away fasting to their houses, they will faint on the road; for many of them came from a great distance.

⁴ His disciples answered him, Whence can a man here in the desert satisfy these with bread?

⁵ And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

⁶ And he commanded the multitude to recline in order on the ground: and taking the seven loaves, having given thanks he brake them, and gave to his disciples, that they should set before the people; and they distributed them to the multitude.

⁷ And they had a few small fishes; and blessing, he commanded to set these also before them.

⁸ And they did eat and were filled and they took up what remained of the fragments, seven baskets.

⁹ And the persons who had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

¹⁰ And immediately going into the vessel with his disciples, he came into the coasts of Dalmanutha.

¹¹ Then the Pharisees came out, and began to question him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

¹² And fetching a deep sigh from his very soul, he saith, Why seeketh this generation a sign? verily I tell you, no sign shall be given to this generation.

¹³ And leaving them, going again on board the vessel, he departed to the other side.

¹⁴ And they had forgotten to take bread, and had not with them in the vessel but a single loaf.

¹⁵ And he earnestly charged them, saying, Beware, take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

¹⁶ And they talked the matter over among themselves, saying, This is because we have no loaves of bread.

¹⁷ And Jesus knowing it said unto them, Why reason ye together, because ye have no loaves? Do ye not yet consider, nor understand? Have ye your heart yet hardened?

¹⁸ Having eyes, do ye not see? and having ears, do ye not hear? and do ye not remember?

¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

²⁰ And when the seven loaves among the four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They said, Seven.

²¹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

²² And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring him a blind man, and entreat him that he would touch him.

²³ And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him without the city; and spitting on his eyes, he laid his hands upon him, and asked him if he saw aught.

²⁴ And looking up, he said, I see men walking, as trees.

²⁵ Then again he put his hands upon his eyes, and made him look up again: and he was entirely restored, and saw all men distinctly.

²⁶ And he sent him away unto his own house, saying, Neither enter thou into the city, nor speak to any in the city.

²⁷ And Jesus and his disciples went out into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and on the road he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am?

²⁸ And they answered, John the Baptist: others say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

²⁹ And he said unto them, But who do ye say that I am? Then Peter answering, said unto him, Thou art the Messiah.

³⁰ And he strictly enjoined them, that they should tell no man of this.

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

³² And he spake this saying openly. And Peter taking him aside, began to remonstrate with him.

³³ But he turned himself around, and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou dost not relish the things which are of God, but those that are of men.

³⁴ Then calling to him the multitude, with his disciples, he said to them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

³⁵ For whosoever would preserve his life shall lose it; but whosoever would lose his life for my sake and the Gospel, he shall preserve it.

³⁶ For what would it profit a man, though he should gain the whole world, if he be punished with the loss of his own soul?

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

³⁸ For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, before this adulterous and sinful generation; of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels.