Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand^(A)(B)

¹³ When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them^(C) and healed their sick.^(D)

¹⁵ As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”

¹⁶ Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”

¹⁷ “We have here only five loaves^(E) of bread and two fish,” they answered.

¹⁸ “Bring them here to me,” he said. ¹⁹ And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.^(F) Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. ²⁰ They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. ²¹ The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(G)(H)

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.^(I) Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”^(J) they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!^(K) It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^(L)

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”^(M) he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”^(N)

1 Paul, an apostle^(A) of Christ Jesus by the will of God,^(B) and Timothy^(C) our brother,

To the church of God^(D) in Corinth,^(E) together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:^(F)

² Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.^(G)

Praise to the God of All Comfort

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(H) the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us^(I) in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. ⁵ For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ,^(J) so also our comfort abounds through Christ. ⁶ If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;^(K) if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. ⁷ And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,^(L) so also you share in our comfort.

⁸ We do not want you to be uninformed,^(M) brothers and sisters,^[a] about the troubles we experienced^(N) in the province of Asia.^(O) We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. ⁹ Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God,^(P) who raises the dead.^{(Q) 10} He has delivered us from such a deadly peril,^(R) and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope^(S) that he will continue to deliver us, ¹¹ as you help us by your prayers.^(T) Then many will give thanks^(U) on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

Paul’s Change of Plans

¹² Now this is our boast: Our conscience^(V) testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity^[b](W) and godly sincerity.^(X) We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom^(Y) but on God’s grace. ¹³ For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, ¹⁴ as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.^(Z)

¹⁵ Because I was confident of this, I wanted to visit you^(AA) first so that you might benefit twice.^{(AB) 16} I wanted to visit you on my way^(AC) to Macedonia^(AD) and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way^(AE) to Judea.^{(AF) 17} Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner^(AG) so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

¹⁸ But as surely as God is faithful,^(AH) our message to you is not “Yes” and “No.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God,^(AI) Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silas^[c](AJ) and Timothy^(AK)—was not “Yes” and “No,” but in him it has always^(AL) been “Yes.” ²⁰ For no matter how many promises^(AM) God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen”^(AN) is spoken by us to the glory of God.^{(AO) 21} Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm^(AP) in Christ. He anointed^(AQ) us, ²² set his seal^(AR) of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.^(AS)