7. Feeding the Five Thousand
- And the apostles gathered together to Jesus and reported to Him all that they did and all that they taught.
- And He said to them, Come by yourselves privately to a deserted place and rest a while. For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have opportunity to eat.
- And they went away in the boat to a deserted place privately.
- And many saw them going away and recognized them, and they ran together there on foot from all the cities and got there before them.
- And getting out, He saw a great crowd, and He was moved with compassion for them because they were like sheep not having a shepherd, and He began to teach them many things.
- And when the hour had already become late, His disciples came to Him and said, This place is deserted, and the hour is already late;
- Send them away so that they may go into the surrounding fields and villages and buy for themselves something to eat.
- But He answered and said to them, You give them something to eat. And they said to Him, Shall we go away and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?
- And He said to them, How many loaves do you have? Go and see. And when they found out, they said, Five, and two fish.
- And He ordered them to have all recline by companies on the green grass.
- And they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.
- And He took the five loaves and the two fish and, looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among all.
- And they all ate and were satisfied.
- And they took up twelve full handbaskets of the broken pieces of bread and of the fish.
- And those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men.
- And immediately He compelled His disciples to step into the boat and go before to the other side, toward Bethsaida, while He sent the crowd away.
- And after He said farewell to them, He went away to the mountain to pray.
- And when evening fell, the boat was in the midst of the sea and He was alone on the land.
- And seeing them distressed as they rowed, for the wind was contrary to them, He came toward them about the fourth watch of the night, walking on the sea, and He intended to pass by them.
- But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out,
- For they all saw Him and were startled. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, Take courage. It is I. Do not be afraid.
- And He went up unto them into the boat, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly astonished in themselves beyond measure,
- For they did not understand concerning the loaves, but rather their heart was hardened.
- And they crossed over to the land and came to Gennesaret and moored there.
- And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him,
- And they ran about that whole region and began to carry around on mats those who were ill to any place where they heard that He was.
- And wherever He entered into villages or into cities or into the countryside, they laid those who were sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch if even the fringe of His garment; and as many as touched Him were healed.
