Study Desk

So he said, "You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they are giventhey are given">[fn] in parables, so thatIsaiah 6:9; Mark 4:12;">[xr] 'they might look but not see, and they might listen but not understand.'"Isaiah 6:9-10">[fn]

The ones on the path are the people who listen, but then the devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

The ones that fell among the thornbushes are the people who listen, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn't mature.

His mother and his brothers came to him, but they couldn't get near him because of the crowd.Matthew 12:46; Mark 3:31;">[xr]

One day Jesushe">[fn] and his disciples got into a boat. He said to them, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake." So they started out.Matthew 8:23; Mark 4:35;">[xr]

Now as they were sailing, Jesushe">[fn] fell asleep. A violent storm swept over the lake, and they were taking on water and were in great danger.

So they went to him, woke him up, and said, "Master! Master! We're going to die!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. They stopped, and there was calm.

Then he asked the disciples,them">[fn] "Where is your faith?" Frightened and amazed, they asked one another, "Who is this man? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him!"

Now when those who had been taking care of the pigs saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and in the countryside.

So the peoplethey">[fn] went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone out sitting at Jesus' feet, dressed and in his right mind, they were frightened.

Then all the people from the region surrounding the GerasenesGadarenes; still other mss. read Gergesenes">[fn] asked Jesushim">[fn] to leave them, because they were terrified. So he got into a boat and started back.Matthew 8:34; Acts 16:39;">[xr]

They laughed and laughed at him, because they knew she was dead.

So they left and went from village to village, spreading the good news and healing diseases everywhere.Mark 6:12;">[xr]

The apostles came back and told Jesushim">[fn] everything they had done. Then he took them away with him privately to a city called Bethsaida.Matthew 14:13; Mark 6:30;">[xr]

As the day was drawing to a close, the twelve came to him and said, "Send the crowd away to the neighboring villages and farms so they can rest and get some food, for we are here in a deserted place."Matthew 14:15; Mark 6:35; John 6:1,5;">[xr]

But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They replied, "We have nothing more than five loaves of bread and two fish - unless we go and buy food for all these people."

They did this and got all of them seated.

All of them ate and were filled. When they collected the leftover pieces, there were twelve baskets.

They answered, "Some saySome say">[fn] John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others one of the ancient prophets who has come back to life."Matthew 14:2; Luke 14:7-8;">[xr]

Suddenly, two men were talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah.