Matthew 15:32-39

Expanded Bible

More than Four Thousand Fed^(A)

³² Jesus called his ·followers [disciples] to him and said, “I ·feel sorry [have compassion] for these people, because they have already been with me three days, and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry. They might ·faint [collapse] while going home.”

³³ His ·followers [disciples] asked him, “·How [^LFrom where] can we get enough bread in this ·remote place [desolate place; desert] to feed ·all these people [^Lso great a crowd]?”

³⁴ Jesus asked, “How many loaves of bread do you have?”

They answered, “Seven, and a few small fish.”

³⁵ Jesus told the people to ·sit [recline] on the ground. ³⁶ He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he ·divided the food [^Lbroke them] and gave it to his ·followers [disciples], and they gave it to the people. ³⁷ All the people ate and were satisfied. Then his ·followers [disciples] filled seven ·baskets [large baskets; ^Ca different word than in the feeding of the five thousand; 14:20] with the leftover pieces of food. ³⁸ There were about four thousand men there who ate, besides women and children. ³⁹ After ·sending the people home [dismissing the crowds], Jesus got into the boat and went to the ·area [region] of Magadan [^Can unknown place, probably on the western shore of Lake Galilee; perhaps Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene].