The Feeding of the Four Thousand (2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 15:29–39)
1 UDB During those days, a large crowd of people gathered again. After they had been there for two days, they had no food to eat. So Jesus called the disciples to come close to him, and then he said to them, BSB BSB: In those days the crowd once again became very large, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called the disciples to Him and said,
2 UDB "This is the third day that these people have been with me, and they have nothing left to eat, so now I am very concerned for them. BSB BSB: “I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
3 UDB If I send them home while they are still hungry, some of them will faint on the way home. Some of them have come from far away." BSB BSB: If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.”
4 UDB The disciples knew that he was suggesting that they give the people something to eat, so one of them replied, "We cannot possibly find food to satisfy this crowd. No one lives in this place! BSB BSB: His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”
5 UDB Jesus asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They replied, "We have seven flat loaves." BSB BSB: “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.
6 UDB Jesus commanded the crowd, "Sit down on the ground!" After they sat down, he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. BSB BSB: And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd.
7 UDB They had also found that they had a few small fish. So after he thanked God for these, he told the disciples, "Distribute these also." After they distributed the fish to the crowd, BSB BSB: They also had a few small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set before them as well.
8 UDB the people ate this food, and they had plenty to satisfy themselves. The disciples collected the pieces of food that were left over and filled seven large baskets. BSB BSB: The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
9 UDB The disciples estimated that there were about four thousand people who ate on that day. Then Jesus dismissed the crowd. BSB BSB: And about four thousand men were present. And when Jesus had dismissed the crowd,
10 UDB Immediately after that, he got into the boat along with his disciples, and they went around the Sea of Galilee to the district of Dalmanutha. BSB BSB: He immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.
The Demand for a Sign (Matthew 16:1–4; Luke 12:54–56)
11 UDB Then some Pharisees came to Jesus. They began arguing with him and insisting that he perform a miracle to show that God had sent him. BSB BSB: Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven.
12 UDB Jesus sighed deeply within himself, and then he said, "Why are you asking me to perform a miracle? I will not do a miracle for you!" BSB BSB: Jesus sighed deeply in His spirit and said, “Why does this generation demand a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
13 UDB Then he left them. He got into the boat again, along with his disciples, and they went further around the Sea of Galilee. BSB BSB: And He left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side.
The Leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod (Matthew 16:5–12; Luke 12:1–3)
14 UDB The disciples had forgotten to bring along enough food. Specifically, they had only one flat loaf of bread with them in the boat. BSB BSB: Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
15 UDB As they were going, Jesus warned them and said, "Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod!" BSB BSB: “Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.”
16 UDB The disciples misunderstood him. So they said to one another, "He must have said that because we have no bread." BSB BSB: So they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.
17 UDB Jesus knew what they were discussing among themselves. So he said to them, "Why are you talking about not having enough bread? You should understand what I have said by now! You are not thinking! BSB BSB: Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?
18 UDB You have eyes, but you do not understand what you see! You have ears, but you do not understand what I say!" Then he asked, "Do you not remember what happened BSB BSB: ‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember?
19 UDB when I broke only five loaves and fed the five thousand people? Not only was everyone satisfied, but there was food left over! How many baskets of pieces of bread that were left over did you collect?" They replied, "We collected twelve baskets full." BSB BSB: When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.
20 UDB Then he asked, "When I broke the seven loaves in order to feed the four thousand 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." BSB BSB: “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Seven,” they said.
21 UDB Then he said to them, "Do you not understand?" BSB BSB: Then He asked them, “Do you still not understand?”
The Blind Man at Bethsaida 22 UDB They arrived in the boat at Bethsaida. People brought to Jesus a blind man and begged Jesus to touch the man in order to heal him. BSB BSB: When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.
23 UDB Jesus took the hand of the blind man and led him outside the town. Then he spat into the man's eyes, put his hands on the man, and then asked him, "Do you see anything?" BSB BSB: So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and placed His hands on him. “Can you see anything?” He asked.
24 UDB 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!" BSB BSB: The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.”
25 UDB 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. BSB BSB: Once again Jesus placed His hands on the man’s eyes, and when he opened them his sight was restored, and he could see everything clearly.
26 UDB Jesus said to him, "Do not go into the town!" Then he sent the man to his home. BSB BSB: Jesus sent him home and said, “Do not go back into the village.”
Peter’s Confession of Christ (Matthew 16:13–20; Luke 9:18–20; John 6:67–71)
28 UDB They replied, "Some people say that you are John the Baptizer. Others say that you are the prophet Elijah. And others say that you are one of the other former prophets." BSB BSB: They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
29 UDB He asked them, "What about you? Who do you say that I am?" Peter replied to him, "You are the Christ." BSB BSB: “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
30 UDB Then Jesus strongly warned them, "Do not tell anyone about me." BSB BSB: And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.
Christ’s Passion Foretold (Matthew 16:21–23; Luke 9:21–22)
32 UDB He said this to them clearly. But Peter took Jesus aside and started to scold him for talking this way. BSB BSB: He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
33 UDB 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 people would want me to do." BSB BSB: But Jesus, turning and looking at His disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Take Up Your Cross (Matthew 16:24–28; Luke 9:23–27)
34 UDB Then he called the crowd together 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 makes you live easily. You must be willing to suffer pain like criminals who are forced to carry crosses to the places where they will be crucified. That is what anyone who wants to be my disciple must do. BSB BSB: Then Jesus called the crowd to Him along with His disciples, and He told them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.
35 UDB You must do that because those who try to save their lives by denying that they belong to me will lose their lives. Those who are killed because they are my disciples and because they tell others the good news will live forever with me. BSB BSB: For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it.
36 UDB People might get everything they want in this world, but they are really gaining nothing if they do not gain eternal life! BSB BSB: What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?
37 UDB Think carefully about the fact that there is absolutely nothing that people can give to God that would enable them to gain eternal life! BSB BSB: Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 UDB 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 Son of Man, will also refuse to say that they belong to me when I come back with the holy angels and have the glory that my Father has!" BSB BSB: If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.