Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

After the apostles returned and told Jesus what they had done, he took them by boat to a deserted place near Bethsaida, on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. But many people noticed and ran there on foot from the towns. When Jesus saw the crowd, he welcomed them with compassion. He taught them about God’s kingdom and healed those who were sick.

As the day grew late, the disciples were concerned because they were in a lonely place and the people needed food. They suggested sending the crowd away to buy food and find lodging in the nearby villages and farms. But Jesus told the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” In John’s account, Jesus asked Philip where bread could be bought, while already knowing what he would do.

The disciples counted what they had. Philip said that even two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for everyone to have even a little. Then Andrew said a boy was there with five barley loaves and two fish. Jesus told the disciples to have the people sit down on the grass in orderly groups, by fifties and hundreds.

Jesus took the loaves and the fish, looked up to heaven, blessed and gave thanks, and broke the bread. He gave the food to the disciples, and they set it before the crowd. Everyone ate as much as they wanted and was satisfied. There were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

After the meal, Jesus told the disciples to gather the pieces left over so that nothing would be lost. They collected twelve baskets full of broken pieces, and Mark also mentions pieces of fish. When the people saw this sign, they said Jesus was truly the prophet who was coming into the world. Realising they wanted to take him by force and make him king, Jesus withdrew to the mountain by himself.