Feeding of the Five Thousand

10 When the apostles returned,(A) they reported to Jesus all that they had done.(B) He took them along and withdrew privately to a[a] town called Bethsaida.(C) 11 When the crowds found out, they followed him. He welcomed them,(D) spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.

12 Late in the day,(E) the Twelve approached and said to him, “Send the crowd away,(F) so that they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find food and lodging, because we are in a deserted place here.”

13 “You give them something to eat,” he told them.

“We have no more than five loaves(G) and two fish,” they said, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.” 14 (For about five thousand men were there.)

Then he told his disciples, “Have them sit down[b] in groups of about fifty each.” 15 They did what he said, and had them all sit down. 16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,(H) he blessed and broke them.(I) He kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 Everyone ate and was filled. They picked up twelve baskets of leftover pieces.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:10 Other mss add deserted place near a
  2. 9:14 Lit them recline

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

10 On their return (A)the apostles told him all that they had done. (B)And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. 11 When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he (C)welcomed them and (D)spoke to them of the kingdom of God and (E)cured those who had need of healing. 12 Now (F)the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, (G)“Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place.” 13 But he said to them, (H)“You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than (I)five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people.” 14 For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 And they did so, and had them all sit down. 16 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, (J)he looked up to heaven and (K)said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 17 And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.

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