The Feeding of the Five Thousand

(Matthew 14:13–21, Luke 9:10–17, John 6:1–15)

30 Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to [a] solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many [people] were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32 So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place. 33 But many [people] saw them leaving and recognized [them]. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them. 34 When [Jesus] stepped ashore [and] saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

35 By now the hour was already late. [So] the disciples came to [Jesus] [and] said “This is a desolate place, and the hour [is] already late. 36 Dismiss [the crowd] so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages [and] buy themselves something to eat.”

37 But [Jesus] told them, “You give them [something] to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out [and] spend two hundred denarii[fn] to give all of them bread to eat?”

38 “Go [and] see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39 Then [Jesus] directed them to have [the people] sit in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish [and] looking up to heaven, [Jesus] spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave [them] to His disciples to set before [the people]. And He divided the two fish among them all.

42 {They} all ate and were satisfied, 43 and [the disciples] picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.