Side by side
Mark 8
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Between scenesVerses 1 to 26
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
1In those days the crowd once again became very large, and they had nothing to eat. Jesus called the disciples to Him and said, 2“I have compassion for this crowd, because they have already been with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a great distance.” 4His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?” 5“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied. 6And 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. 7They also had a few small fish, and Jesus blessed them and ordered that these be set before them as well. 8The people ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 9And about four thousand men were present. As soon as Jesus had dismissed the crowd, 10He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha. 11Then the Pharisees came and began to argue with Jesus, testing Him by demanding from Him a sign from heaven. 12Jesus 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.” 13And He left them, got back into the boat, and crossed to the other side. 14Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15“Watch out!” He cautioned them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod.” 16So they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17Aware 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‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember? 19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered. 20“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Seven,” they said. 21Then He asked them, “Do you still not understand?” 22When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23So 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. 24The man looked up and said, “I can see the people, but they look like trees walking around.” 25Once 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. 26Jesus sent him home and said, “Do not go back into the village.”
Scene 1: A Question on the RoadVerses 27 to 28
Jesus and his disciples walked north to the villages around Caesarea Philippi.
On the way, Jesus asked them a question. "Who do people say I am?" (8:27).
The disciples knew what people were saying. "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets" (8:28).
People had many ideas about Jesus. They all thought he was someone important.
27Then Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say I am?” 28They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
Scene 2: "Who Do You Say I Am?"Verses 29 to 30
Then Jesus asked them a harder question.
"But what about you?" Jesus asked. "Who do you say I am?" (8:29).
This time the question was about the disciples themselves. What did they think?
Peter answered. "You are the Christ" (8:29).
"Christ" is a Greek word. It means "anointed one," the same as the Hebrew word "Messiah." To anoint means to pour oil on someone's head to set them apart for a special job. God had promised to send the Christ to rescue his people.
Peter was right.
Then Jesus told them not to tell anyone about him yet.
29“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him.
Scene 3: What the Christ Must DoVerses 31 to 32
Then Jesus began to teach them something new.
He said the Son of Man must suffer many things. "Son of Man" is a name Jesus used for himself.
He said the leaders would reject him. The elders, the chief priests, and the scribes would turn against him. Scribes were experts who taught God's law.
He said he would be killed. And after three days, he would rise again.
Jesus did not say this in a hidden way. He said it plainly, so they could understand (8:32).
31Then He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and that He must be killed and after three days rise again. 32He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
Scene 4: "Get Behind Me"Verses 32 to 33
Peter took Jesus aside. Then Peter began to rebuke him. To rebuke means to scold someone or tell them they are wrong.
Mark does not tell us Peter's words. But we can see what Peter thought: the Christ should not suffer and die.
Jesus turned around and looked at all his disciples. Then he rebuked Peter.
"Get behind Me, Satan!" Jesus said. "For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men" (8:33).
Satan is God's enemy. He wants to turn people away from God's plan. Peter was trying to turn Jesus away from the cross. Jesus would not turn away.
A few minutes before, Peter had the right answer. Now he had the wrong idea about what that answer meant.
32He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33But 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.”
Scene 5: Take Up Your CrossVerses 34 to 37
Then Jesus called the crowd to come near, along with his disciples. Now he spoke to everyone.
"If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me" (8:34).
To deny yourself means you are not the one in charge of your life anymore. Jesus is. Back then, a person on the way to be crucified carried his own cross through the streets. Everyone listening knew what a cross meant.
Jesus went on. "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" (8:35). The gospel is the good news about Jesus.
Then Jesus asked two questions. "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" (8:36). To profit means to gain something. To forfeit means to lose it.
"Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (8:37). Nothing is worth as much as your life with God. Nobody can buy it back.
34Then 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. 35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and for the gospel will save it. 36What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Scene 6: A PromiseVerses 38 to the end
Jesus said that some people were ashamed of him and his words. When the Son of Man comes in his Father's glory with the angels, he will be ashamed of them.
Then Jesus made a promise. "Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God arrive with power" (9:1). To taste death means to die.
Six days later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain. What they saw there is the next story, the Transfiguration (9:2).
38If 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.”
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