Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, and a great crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He had performed on the sick. He went up on a mountainside and sat down with His disciples.

The Jewish Passover Festival was near. When Jesus looked up and saw the vast crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, 'Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?' He asked this to test Philip, for He already knew what He was going to do.

Philip answered, 'It would take more than half a year's wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!'

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up: 'Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish. But how far will they go among so many?'

Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down.' There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down—about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated. He did the same with the fish, and everyone ate as much as they wanted.

When they had all had enough to eat, Jesus said to His disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' They gathered twelve baskets full of broken pieces left over from the five barley loaves.

After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, 'Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.'

A boy's small lunch, placed in Jesus' hands, became a feast for thousands with abundance to spare. No need is too great for the One who created all things. No offering is too small when given to Him.