36: Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

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Matthew 14:13-23; Mark 6:30-46; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:5-15


Jesus Feeds Five Thousand




When the apostles, whom Jesus had sent forth to spread the word, returned, they told him all that they had done and taught.

Because so many people seeking Jesus were always coming to him and his disciples, giving them not even leisure to eat, Jesus said:

“Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while.”

They went with Jesus privately by ship to a quiet and unpopulated place in the neighborhood of the city of Bethsaida.

The people saw them going. Many followed and others, who guessed their destination, ran afoot out of their cities and arrived before Jesus and the disciples. About five thousand men, besides women and children, came to the desolate place.

Jesus, seeing them, as sheep without a shepherd, had compassion on them, and he healed their sick and began to teach them many things.

When the day neared its end, the twelve apostles came to Jesus and said: 

“Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals; for we are here in a desert place.”

Jesus replied:

“They need not depart; give ye them to eat.”

Philip, the disciple, said:

“Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.”

Another disciple, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said:

“There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes. But what are they among so many?”

Jesus said:

“Bring them hither to me.”

Then he instructed his disciples to organize the crowd, saying:

“Make them sit down fifties in a company.”

Jesus took the five loaves and the two fishes, looked up to Heaven, and blessed them. He broke the bread and gave it and the fishes to his disciples to distribute among the multitude. Everyone ate and was filled.

When all had finished eating, Jesus said:

“Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”

Therefore they gathered the remaining fragments and, with what was left over, filled twelve baskets. When all had seen this miracle, they said:

“This is, of a truth, that prophet that should come into the world.”

Thereupon Jesus, seeing that some among them wished to make him king, straightaway entered the boat with his disciples and crossed to the other side.

Then he went alone into a mountain to pray.


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