Part 16

009:008 by others that Elijah had appeared, and by others that some one of the ancient Prophets had come back to life.

009:009 And Herod said, "John I have beheaded; but who is this, of whom I hear such reports?" And he sought for an opportunity of seeing Jesus.

009:010 The Apostles, on their return, related to Jesus all they had done. Then He took them and withdrew to a quiet retreat, to a town called Bethsaida.

009:011 But the immense crowd, aware of this, followed Him; and receiving them kindly He proceeded to speak to them of the Kingdom of God, and those who needed to be restored to health, He cured.

009:012 Now when the day began to decline, the Twelve came to Him and said, "Send the people away, that they may go to the villages and farms round about and find lodging and a supply of food; because here we are in an uninhabited district."

009:013 "You yourselves," He said, "must give them food." "We have nothing," they replied, "but five loaves and a couple of fish, unless indeed we were to go and buy provisions for all this host of people."

009:014 (For there were about 5,000 adult men.) But He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in parties of about fifty each."

009:015 They did so, making them all, without exception, sit down.

009:016 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to Heaven He blessed them and broke them into portions which He gave to the disciples to distribute to the people.

009:017 So they ate and were fully satisfied, all of them; and what they had remaining over was gathered up, twelve baskets of fragments.

009:018 One day when He was praying by Himself the disciples were present; and He asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?"

009:019 "John the Baptist," they replied; "but others say Elijah; and others that some one of the ancient Prophets has come back to life."

009:020 "But you," He asked, "who do you say that I am?" "God's Anointed One," replied Peter.

009:021 And Jesus strictly forbad them to tell this to any one;

009:022 and He said, "The Son of Man must suffer much cruelty, be rejected by the Elders and High Priests and Scribes, and be put to death, and on the third day be raised to life again."

009:023 And He said to all, "If any one is desirous of following me, let him ignore self and take up his cross day by day, and so be my follower.

009:024 For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake shall save it.

009:025 Why, what benefit is it to a man to have gained the whole world, but to have lost or forfeited his own self.

009:026 For whoever shall have been ashamed of me and my teachings, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own and the Father's glory and in that of the holy angels.

009:027 I tell you truly that there are some of those who stand here who will certainly not taste death till they have seen the Kingdom of God."

009:028 It was about eight days after this that Jesus, taking with Him Peter, John, and James, went up the mountain to pray.

009:029 And while He was praying the appearance of His face underwent a change, and His clothing became white and radiant.

009:030 And suddenly there were two men conversing with Him, who were Moses and Elijah.

009:031 They came in glory, and kept speaking about His death, which He was so soon to undergo in Jerusalem.

009:032 Now Peter and the others were weighed down with sleep; but, keeping themselves awake all through, they saw His glory, and the two men standing with Him.

009:033 And when they were preparing to depart from Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, we are thankful to you that we are here. Let us put up three tents--one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." He did not know what he was saying.

009:034 But while he was thus speaking, there came a cloud which spread over them; and they were awe-struck when they had entered into the cloud.

009:035 Then there came a voice from within the cloud: "This is My Son, My Chosen One: listen to Him."