The disciples suggest, after hours of talking, that Jesus should send them home to eat. A little boy gave him 5 barley loaves and 2 fish. He assured them there would be enough for everyone. The people wondered. Jesus prayed.
1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias.2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.”8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”
John 6
6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.
Mark 6
35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?”38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.42 And they all ate and were satisfied.
