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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Mat C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21 C22 C23 C24 C25 C26 C27 C28
Mat 15 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V15 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25 V26 V27 V28 V29 V30 V31 V32 V34 V35 V36 V37 V38 V39
OET (OET-LV) And the apprentices/followers are_saying to_him:
From_where to_us in a_wilderness, so_many loaves so_as to_satisfy so_much crowd?
OET (OET-RV) “Out here in the wilderness,” replied his apprentices, “where could we possibly get enough bread to feed a crowd this size?”
In this section, Jesus miraculously provided food for over four thousand people. He did something similar in 14:13–21. In both of these stories Jesus began with only a small amount of food, but he caused it to miraculously multiply so there was enough for all of them to eat. Matthew told us the number of the men only, even though many women and children were also there and ate.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
Feeding the Four Thousand (NRSV)
Four Thousand Fed (NASB)
There is a parallel passage for this section in Mark 8:1–10.
The disciples replied,
His disciples asked,
His disciples responded/replied,
The disciples replied: The word replied introduces the disciples’ response to what Jesus had just said. Their response is a question.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
The disciples asked him (GNT)
the disciples said to him (ESV)
“Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
“Where will we find enough food in this desert to feed this crowd?” (GNT)
“This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd?” (CEV)
“There is certainly no place here in this wilderness where we(incl) can find enough food to satisfy/fill so many people.”
Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses an objection. The disciples did not agree with Jesus’ idea. They wanted him to send the people home. They implied that it would be impossible to find enough food in that remote place to feed that large crowd.
Here are some other ways to translate this objection:
As a rhetorical question. For example:
Where will we find enough food in this desert to feed this crowd? (GNT)
As a statement. For example:
There is certainly no place here in the wilderness where we could find enough food to feed so many people!
As a statement and a rhetorical question. For example:
This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd? (CEV)
How can we get enough bread to feed all these people? We are far away from any town. (NCV)
Translate this objection in a way that is natural in your language.
in this desolate place: The Greek word that the BSB translates as desolate place is literally “the desert.” In this context, it refers to an area where no one lived. It was a place that was far from any town or village.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
here in the wilderness (NLT)
in this place where no one lives (GW)
bread: The Greek word that the BSB translates as bread is literally “loaves.” It refers to loaves of bread. These loaves were pieces or units of bread, probably cooked in a round shape like buns or rolls. Bread was the main food of the Jewish people.
Here it is possible to use the more general word “food.” For example:
food (CEV)
However, you may need to use a more specific term for “bread” in 15:34a and 15:36.
In Matthew, this word first occurs in 4:3c. It also occurs in 14:17. See how you translated this word there.
to feed such a large crowd: The Greek word that the BSB translates as to feed can also mean “to satisfy, fill.” This same word also occurs in 15:37a where it is translated as “satisfied.”
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
to satisfy such a large crowd (NASB)
to feed all these people (NCV)
to give such a crowd enough food to satisfy them
Note 1 topic: translate-tense
λέγουσιν
˓are˒_saying
To call attention to a development in the story, Matthew uses the present tense in past narration. If it would not be natural to do that in your language, you could use the past tense in your translation. Alternate translation: [said]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion
πόθεν ἡμῖν ἐν ἐρημίᾳ, ἄρτοι τοσοῦτοι ὥστε χορτάσαι ὄχλον τοσοῦτον?
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταί Πόθεν ἡμῖν ἐν ἐρημίᾳ ἄρτοι τοσοῦτοι ὥστε χορτάσαι ὄχλον τοσοῦτον)
The disciples are using the question form to tell Jesus that they do not have enough food for the crowd. If you would not use the question form for this purpose in your language, you could translate this as a statement or an exclamation. Alternate translation: [It is impossible for us in a desolate place to find enough loaves so as to satisfy so large a crowd.] or [There is certainly no place in this desolate area where we can get enough loaves to satisfy so large a crowd!]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche
ἄρτοι
loaves
The disciples are using loaves to represent any food. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression from your culture or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [portions of food]
OET (OET-LV) And the apprentices/followers are_saying to_him:
From_where to_us in a_wilderness, so_many loaves so_as to_satisfy so_much crowd?
OET (OET-RV) “Out here in the wilderness,” replied his apprentices, “where could we possibly get enough bread to feed a crowd this size?”
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.