Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

³² Jesus called his disciples, and said, “I am really sorry for the crowd. They’ve been around me now for three days and they haven’t got anything to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry; they might faint on the way home.”

³³ The disciples said to him, “Where could we get enough bread to feed a crowd this size, out here in the country?”

³⁴ “How many loaves have you got?” asked Jesus.

“Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.”

³⁵ Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. ³⁶ Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ³⁷ They all ate and were satisfied. And they picked up seven baskets full of what was left of the broken pieces. ³⁸ There were four thousand men who had eaten, besides the women and children.

³⁹ Jesus sent the crowds away. Then he got into the boat and went over to the Magadan coast.