Matthew 14:13-21 - The Feeding Of Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard that, he embark'd, to retire privately to a desert place: of which the people being inform'd, they followed him on foot out of the cities. ¹⁴ as Jesus landed, he saw a great multitude, and was touch'd with compassion towards them, and healed their sick.

¹⁵ At evening his disciples came to him, saying, this is a desert place, and dinner-time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go to buy themselves provisions in the villages.

¹⁶ but Jesus said to them, that's needless, let them eat what you have.

¹⁷ we have nothing here, said they, but five loaves, and two fishes.

¹⁸ bring them hither, said he. ¹⁹ then giving orders for the company to sit down on the grass, he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks; then breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave them to his disciples, and the disciples to the company: who all of them eat, ²⁰ and were filled: and they carried away twelve baskets full of fragments that were left. ²¹ now they that had eaten, were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

³⁰ Now the apostles met together in a body before Jesus, and gave him a full account, both of what they had done, and what they had taught. ³¹ then Jesus said to them, come, let us retire privately to some place of solitude, to repose your selves a while. for such a crowd of people were continually coming and going, that they had not even time to eat. ³² so they privately set sail for the desart (of Bethsaida.) ³³ but the people saw them embark, and many perceiving where they were bound, they ran thither a foot from all parts: and arrived at the place, before the passengers were come. ³⁴ so that when Jesus landed, he found there a numerous assembly: which rais'd his compassion, because they were like so many sheep straggling without a pastor. whereupon he gave them various instructions.

³⁵ but as the day was far advanc'd, his disciples came to him, and said, this is a desart place, and it is now late. ³⁶ dismiss the company, that they may go to the neighbouring farms and villages to buy provisions, for they have nothing to eat.

³⁷ Jesus replied, do you your selves give them something to eat. shall we go then, said they, to purchase bread, to the value of two hundred denarii, for them to eat?

³⁸ go see, said he, how many loaves you have: and having examin'd, they told him, five, and two fishes.

³⁹ then he order'd the people to sit down in distinct companies upon the green grass. ⁴⁰ and they sat down in several divisions, some consisting of an hundred, and some of fifty. ⁴¹ Jesus then having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, look'd up to heaven and gave thanks; then breaking the loaves, he gave them to his disciples to distribute among the people: for whom he likewise divided the two fishes. ⁴² so that they all eat a sufficient share, ⁴³ though the fragments of bread they took up, with what remain'd of the fishes, amounted to twelve baskets full; ⁴⁴ the company that were entertain'd being about five thousand men.

¹⁰ The Apostles, upon their return to Jesus, acquainted him with what they had done. and taking them with him, he retired into a desart place over-against the city of Bethsaida: ¹¹ where the people, who were inform'd of it, followed him: which he did not discountenance, but explained to them the reign of the Messiah, and relieved those, who wanted to be cured.

¹² As the day began to decline, the twelve came to him, and said, dismiss the multitude, that they may go to the nearest towns and villages for lodging and provisions: for here we are in a desart place.

¹³ and he said to them, do you yourselves give them something to eat. they replied, we can furnish only five loaves and two fishes, unless we go and buy provisions for all this people: ¹⁴ for they were about five thousand. but Jesus said to his disciples, make them sit down by fifties in a company. ¹⁵ accordingly they ranged them, and made them all sit down. ¹⁶ then he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he ask'd blessing: then divided them, and gave them to his disciples to be distributed among the people: ¹⁷ and tho' they all eat sufficiently, there was a surplusage of twelve baskets full of fragments carried away.

¹ At length Jesus passed over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias; ² where a great multitude followed him, invited by the miraculous cures which they saw him perform. ³ Jesus therefore went up a mountain, where he sat down with his disciples.

⁴ for it was just before the passover, which is a feast of the Jews. ⁵ Jesus then lifting up his eyes, and seeing a great company coming to him, said to Philip, where can we buy bread to feed this people? ⁶ (this he said to prove Philip: for he himself knew what he had to do.)

⁷ Philip answered him, two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient to furnish every one of them a little.

⁸ one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, ⁹ there is a lad here, who hath five barley-loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

¹⁰ but Jesus said, make the men sit down. and as there was much grass in the place, they sat down to the number of about five thousand. ¹¹ then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were sate down; and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would.

¹² when they were filled, he said to his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. ¹³ they gathered them therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley-loaves, which remained after they all had been eating.

¹⁴ The people, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, cry'd out, this is of a truth that prophet who was to come into the world. ¹⁵ but Jesus perceiving they designed to come and take him by force to make him a king, retired again upon a mountain all alone.