Feeding the Four Thousand

³² Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat, and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way.”^(A)

²⁹ And do not keep seeking what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. ³⁰ For it is the nations^[a] of the world that seek all these things, and your Father knows that you need them.^(A)

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^(A)

³³ Just before daybreak, Paul urged all of them to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been in suspense and remaining without food, having eaten nothing.

Feeding the Four Thousand

8 In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them, ² “I have compassion for the crowd because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat.^{(A) 3} If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way—and some of them have come from a great distance.” ⁴ His disciples replied, “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” ⁵ He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”^{(B) 6} Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. ⁷ They had also a few small fish, and after blessing them he ordered that these, too, should be distributed.^{(C) 8} They ate and were filled, and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. ⁹ Now there were about four thousand people. And he sent them away. ¹⁰ And immediately he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.^[a]

¹⁴ When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them and cured their sick.^{(A) 15} When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.”^{(B) 18} And he said, “Bring them here to me.” ¹⁹ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.^{(C) 20} And all ate and were filled, and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. ²¹ And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested^[a] as we are, yet without sin.^(A)

¹³ When the Lord saw her, he was moved with compassion for her and said to her, “Do not cry.”^(A)

²² It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, help us! Have compassion on us!”

⁶³ and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’^(A)