Feeding 4,000

1 In(A) those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He summoned(B) the disciples(C) and said to them, 2 “I have compassion(D) on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them home hungry,(a) they will collapse on the way,(E) and some of them have come a long distance.”
4 His disciples answered Him, “Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to fill(F) these people?”
5 “How many loaves do you have?” He asked them.

“Seven,” they said.
6 Then He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks, broke(G) the loaves, and kept on giving them to His disciples to set before the people. So they served the loaves to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and when He had blessed them, He said these were to be served as well. 8 They ate and were filled. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About 4,000 men were there. He dismissed them 10 and immediately got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha.(b)

Footnotes:

a. Mark 8:3: Or fasting
b. Mark 8:10: Probably on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee

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