Matthew 15:32-39

Contemporary English Version

Jesus Feeds Four Thousand

(Mark 8.1-10)

³² Jesus called his disciples together and told them, “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and they don't have anything to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry. They might faint on their way home.”

³³ His disciples said, “This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd?”

³⁴ Jesus asked them how much food they had. They replied, “Seven small loaves of bread^[a] and a few little fish.”

³⁵ After Jesus had told the people to sit down, ³⁶ he took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks. He then broke them and handed them to his disciples, who passed them around to the crowds.

³⁷ Everyone ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets.

³⁸ There were 4,000 men who ate, not counting the women and children.

³⁹ After Jesus had sent the crowds away, he got into a boat and sailed across the lake. He came to shore near the town of Magadan.^[b]