Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
John 6:1-14 · Berean Standard Bible
Facing a hungry crowd of five thousand, Jesus takes a boy's five loaves and two fish, gives thanks, and feeds everyone with twelve baskets left over. The only miracle recorded in all four Gospels, it shows that Christ multiplies what we surrender to Him. It teaches that God provides abundantly and can use even a small, willing offering to meet an overwhelming need.
1After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).
2A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.
3Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.
4Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.
5When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
6But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.
7Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,
9“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”
10“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
11Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
12And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
13So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
14When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Read the wider context: John 6.
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Related passages
- The Raising of Lazarus — John 11:1-44
- God Loves a Cheerful Giver — 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
- Elijah Fed by Ravens at the Brook — 1 Kings 17:1-6
- Jesus Calms the Storm — Mark 4:35-41