Mark 8
8:1 In those days, when there was a very great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to himself, and said to them,
8:2 "I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat.
8:3 If I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way, for some of them have come a long way."
8:4 His disciples answered him, "From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?"
8:5 He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" They said, "Seven."
8:6 He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves. Having given thanks, he broke them, and gave them to his disciples to serve, and they served the multitude.
8:7 They had a few small fish. Having blessed them, he said to serve these also.
8:8 They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
8:9 Those who had eaten were about four thousand. Then he sent them away.
8:10 Immediately he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the region of Dalmanutha.
8:11 The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him.
8:12 He sighed deeply in his spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Most certainly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation."
8:13 He left them, and again entering into the boat, departed to the other side.
8:14 They forgot to take bread; and they didn't have more than one loaf in the boat with them.
8:15 He warned them, saying, "Take heed: beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod."
8:16 They reasoned with one another, saying, "It's because we have no bread."
8:17 Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, "Why do you reason that it's because you have no bread? Don't you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened?
8:18 Having eyes, don't you see? Having ears, don't you hear? Don't you remember?
8:19 When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They told him, "Twelve."
8:20 "When the seven loaves fed the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They told him, "Seven."
8:21 He asked them, "Don't you understand, yet?"
8:22 He came to Bethsaida. They brought a blind man to him, and begged him to touch him.
8:23 He took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village. When he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands on him, he asked him if he saw anything.
8:24 He looked up, and said, "I see men; for I see them like trees walking."
8:25 Then again he laid his hands on his eyes. He looked intently, and was restored, and saw everyone clearly.
8:26 He sent him away to his house, saying, "Don't enter into the village, nor tell anyone in the village."
8:27 Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that I am?"
8:28 They told him, "John the Baptizer, and others say Elijah, but others: one of the prophets."
8:29 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ."
8:30 He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.
8:31 He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
8:32 He spoke to them openly. Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
8:33 But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of men."
8:34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, "Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
8:35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the sake of the Good News will save it.
8:36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?
8:37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life?
8:38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
II Corinthians 11
11:1 I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness, but indeed you do bear with me.
11:2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
11:3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different "good news", which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.
11:5 For I reckon that I am not at all behind the very best apostles.
11:6 But though I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not unskilled in knowledge. No, in every way we have been revealed to you in all things.
11:7 Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached to you God's Good News free of charge?
11:8 I robbed other assemblies, taking wages from them that I might serve you.
11:9 When I was present with you and was in need, I wasn't a burden on anyone, for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, supplied the measure of my need. In everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and I will continue to do so.
11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no one will stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia.
11:11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows.
11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them that desire an occasion, that in which they boast, they may be found even as we.
11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as Christ's apostles.
11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
11:15 It is no great thing therefore if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
11:16 I say again, let no one think me foolish. But if so, yet receive me as foolish, that I also may boast a little.
11:17 That which I speak, I don't speak according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting.
11:18 Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.
11:19 For you bear with the foolish gladly, being wise.
11:20 For you bear with a man, if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, if he strikes you on the face.
11:21 I speak by way of disparagement, as though we had been weak. Yet however any is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.
11:22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I.
11:23 Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself) I am more so; in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, in deaths often.
11:24 Five times from the Jews I received forty stripes minus one.
11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.
11:26 I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;
11:27 in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
11:28 Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily, anxiety for all the assemblies.
11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don't burn with indignation?
11:30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.
11:31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, he who is blessed forevermore, knows that I don't lie.
11:32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king guarded the city of the Damascenes desiring to arrest me.
11:33 Through a window I was let down in a basket by the wall, and escaped his hands.
II Corinthians 12
12:1 It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. For I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
12:2 I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago whether in the body, I don't know, or whether out of the body, I don't know; God knows, such a one caught up into the third heaven.
12:3 I know such a man whether in the body, or outside of the body, I don't know; God knows,
12:4 how he was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
12:5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.
12:6 For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.
12:7 By reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted excessively, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, that I should not be exalted excessively.
12:8 Concerning this thing, I begged the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
12:9 He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.
12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then am I strong.
12:11 I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for in nothing was I inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.
12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all patience, in signs and wonders and mighty works.
12:13 For what is there in which you were made inferior to the rest of the assemblies, unless it is that I myself was not a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong.
12:14 Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
12:15 I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
12:16 But be it so, I did not myself burden you. But, being crafty, I caught you with deception.
12:17 Did I take advantage of you by anyone of them whom I have sent to you?
12:18 I exhorted Titus, and I sent the brother with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn't we walk in the same spirit? Didn't we walk in the same steps?
12:19 Again, do you think that we are excusing ourselves to you? In the sight of God we speak in Christ. But all things, beloved, are for your edifying.
12:20 For I am afraid that by any means when I come, I might find you not the way I want to, and that I might be found by you as you don't desire; that by any means there would be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, whisperings, proud thoughts, riots;
12:21 that again when I come my God would humble me before you, and I would mourn for many of those who have sinned before now, and not repented of the uncleanness and sexual immorality and lustfulness which they committed.
