Four Thousand Fed

1 In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, aJesus called His disciples and * said to them,

2 “aI feel compassion for the 1people because they have remained with Me now three days and have nothing to eat.

3 “If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.”

4 And His disciples answered Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough 1bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?”

5 And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

6 And He * directed the 1people to 2sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to 3serve to them, and they served them to the 1people.

7 They also had a few small fish; and aafter He had blessed them, He ordered these to be 1served as well.

8 And they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large abaskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces.

9 About four thousand were there; and He sent them away.