Mark 6:30-44

English Standard Version

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

^30 (A)(B)The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. ³¹ And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and ^(C)they had no leisure even to eat. ^32 (D)And they went away in ^(E)the boat to a desolate place by themselves. ³³ Now many saw them going and ^(F)recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When he went ashore he ^(G)saw a great crowd, and ^(H)he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. ³⁵ And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. ^36 (I)Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” ³⁷ But he answered them, ^(J)“You give them something to eat.” And ^(K)they said to him, ^(L)“Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii^[a] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” ³⁸ And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, ^(M)“Five, and two fish.” ³⁹ Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. ⁴¹ And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he ^(N)looked up to heaven and ^(O)said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. ⁴⁴ And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.