Luke 9:7–27

Herod Perplexed About Jesus

⁷Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed, because it was said by some that John has been raised from the dead, ⁸and by some that Elijah had appeared, and others that some prophet of ancient times had risen. ⁹And Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he was wanting to see him.

The Feeding of Five Thousand

¹⁰And when they^* returned, the apostles described to him all that they had done. And he took them along and^* withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. ¹¹But when^* the crowds found out, they followed him, and welcoming them, he began to speak^* to them about the kingdom of God, and he cured those who had need of healing. ¹²Now the day began to be far spent, and the twelve came up and^* said to him, “Send away the crowd so that they can go into the surrounding villages and farms to obtain lodging and find provisions, because we are here in a desolate place. ¹³But he said to them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said, “We have no^a more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and^* purchase food for all these people.” ¹⁴(For there were about five thousand men.) So he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵And they did so, and had them all sit down. ¹⁶And taking the five loaves and the two fish, and^* looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them and began giving^* them^* to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷And they all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over was picked up by them—twelve baskets of broken pieces.

Peter’s Confession

¹⁸And it happened that while he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” ¹⁹And they answered and^* said, “John the Baptist, but others, Elijah, and others, that one of the ancient prophets has risen.” ²⁰And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered and^* said, “The Christ of God.”

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

²¹But he warned and^* commanded them to tell this to no one, ²²saying, “It is necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised on the third day.

Taking Up One’s Cross to Follow Jesus

²³And he said to them all, “If anyone wants to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life on account of me, this person will save it. ²⁵For what is a person benefited if he^* gains the whole world but loses or forfeits himself? ²⁶For whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of this person when he comes in his glory and the glory^* of the Father and of the holy angels. ²⁷But I tell you truly, there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the kingdom of God.”