The Feeding of the Five Thousand

10 When the apostles returned, they told Jesus about all they had done. Then he took them along and withdrew privately to [fn]a desolate place belonging to a town called Bethsaida. 11 But when the crowds found out about it, they followed him. So he welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and cured those who had need of healing.

12 As the day began to draw to a close, the twelve came up and said to Jesus, “Send the crowd away so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging and provisions, for we are in a desolate place here.” 13 But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have only five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for this entire group of people.” 14 (For there were about five thousand men.) Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [fn]fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and had everyone sit down. 16 Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 They all ate and were filled, and what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.