Add parallel Print Page Options

Jesus Feeds More than Five Thousand(A)

After this, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, to Tiberias). A large crowd kept following him because they had seen the signs that he was performing by healing the sick. But Jesus went up on a hillside and sat down there with his disciples.

Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When Jesus looked up and saw that a large crowd was coming toward him, he asked Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?” Jesus[a] said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[b] worth of bread isn’t enough for each of them to have a little.”

One of his disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter’s brother, told him, “There’s a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are these among so many people?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was plenty of grass in that area, so they sat down, numbering about 5,000 men.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated. He also distributed[c] as much fish as they wanted. 12 When they were completely satisfied, Jesus[d] told his disciples, “Collect the pieces that are left over so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they collected and filled twelve baskets full of pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 When the people saw the sign[e] that he had done, they kept saying, “Truly this is the Prophet who was to come into the world!” 15 Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew[f] again to the hillside by himself.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. John 6:6 Lit. He
  2. John 6:7 The denarius was the usual day’s wage for a laborer.
  3. John 6:11 Lit. Likewise also
  4. John 6:12 Lit. he
  5. John 6:14 Other mss. read signs
  6. John 6:15 Other mss. read fled