Mark 6:30-44

Lexham English Bible

The Feeding of Five Thousand

³⁰ And the apostles regathered to Jesus and reported to him everything that they had done and that they had taught. ³¹ And he said to them, “You yourselves come privately to an isolated place and rest for a short time.” For those who were coming and going were many, and they did not even have time to eat. ³² And they went away in the boat to an isolated place by themselves. ³³ And many people saw them leaving and recognized them,^[a] and ran there together by land from all the towns, and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴ And getting out of the boat^[b] he saw the large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without^[c] a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. ³⁵ And the hour had already become late when^[d] his disciples came up to him, saying, “The place is desolate and the hour is already late. ³⁶ Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding farms and villages and^[e] purchase something to eat for themselves.” ³⁷ But he answered and^[f] said to them, “You give them something^[g] to eat.” And they said to him, “Should we go and^[h] purchase bread for two hundred denarii and give it^[i] to them to eat?” ³⁸ And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they^[j] found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” ³⁹ And he ordered them all to recline in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ And they reclined in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. ⁴¹ And taking the five loaves and the two fish and^[k] looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves and gave them^[l] to his disciples so that they could set them^[m] before them. And he distributed the two fish to them all. ⁴² And they all ate and were satisfied. ⁴³ And they picked up the broken pieces, twelve baskets full, and of the fish. ⁴⁴ And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.