34 When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassionba on them, because they were like sheepbb without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.

35 When it grew late, his disciplesbc approached him and said, “This place is deserted,bd and it is already late. 36 Send them away so that they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”

37 “You give them something to eat,” he responded.

They said to him, “Should we go and buy two hundred denariiG worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

38 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”

When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was satisfied.be 43 They picked up twelve baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were five thousand men.

WALKING ON THE WATER

45 Immediatelybf he made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, to Bethsaida,bg while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountaina to pray.b 47 Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 He saw them strainingc at the oars,A because the wind was against them. Very early in the morningB he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghostd and cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.e Immediately he spoke with them and said, “Have courage!f It is I.g Don’t be afraid.”h 51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.i

MIRACULOUS HEALINGS

53 When they had crossed over, they came to shore at Gennesaretj and anchored there.

54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized him. 55 They hurried throughout that region and began to carry the sickk on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he went, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch just the endl of his robe.m And everyone who touched it was healed.