Matthew 15:36

Simplified Cowboy Version

he took the seven biscuits and the can of sardines and gave thanks for them. He then broke them and handed 'em to his cowboys so they could pass 'em out to everybody.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

King James Version (1611)
And he tooke the seuen loaues and the fishes, and gaue thankes, and brake them, and gaue to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

King James Version
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

English Standard Version
he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

New American Standard Bible
and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

New Century Version
He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks to God. Then he divided the food and gave it to his followers, and they gave it to the people.

Amplified Bible
and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and when He had given thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples [gave them] to the people.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And tooke the seuen loaues, and the fishes, and gaue thankes, and brake them, and gaue to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Legacy Standard Bible
and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and kept giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Berean Standard Bible
Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Contemporary English Version
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.

Complete Jewish Bible
he took the seven loaves and the fish, made a b'rakhah, broke the loaves and gave them to the talmidim, who gave them to the people.

Darby Translation
and having taken the seven loaves and the fishes, having given thanks, he broke [them] and gave [them] to his disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.

Easy-to-Read Version
He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish. Then he gave thanks to God for the food. He broke the bread into pieces, which he gave to the followers, and they gave the food to the people.

George Lamsa Translation
Then he took the seven loaves of bread and the fish, and gave thanks, and he broke them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Good News Translation
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks to God, broke them, and gave them to the disciples; and the disciples gave them to the people.

Lexham English Bible
he took the seven loaves and the fish and after he had given thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Literal Translation
And taking the seven loaves and the fish, giving thanks, He broke and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the crowd.

American Standard Version
and he took the seven loaves and the fishes; and he gave thanks and brake, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

Bible in Basic English
And he took the seven cakes of bread and the fishes; and having given praise, he gave the broken bread to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the people.

Hebrew Names Version
and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the talmidim, and the talmidim to the multitudes.

International Standard Version
he took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks. Then he broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples, and the disciples gave themgave them">[fn] to the crowds.1 Samuel 9:13; Matthew 14:19; Luke 22:19;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And he took those seven loaves and the fishes, and offered praise, and brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes;

Murdock Translation
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And toke the seuen loaues, and the fisshes: and after that he had geuen thankes, he brake them, and gaue to his disciples, and the disciples gaue them to the people.

English Revised Version
and he took the seven loaves and the fishes; and he gave thanks and brake, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

World English Bible
and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, he gave thanks and brake them and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Weymouth's New Testament
and He took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks He broke them up and then distributed them to the disciples, and they to the people.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he took seuene looues and fyue fischis, and dide thankyngis, and brak, and yaf to hise disciplis; and the disciplis yauen to the puple.

Update Bible Version
and he took the seven loaves and the fish; and he gave thanks and broke, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and broke [them], and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

New English Translation
he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds.

New King James Version
And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.

New Living Translation
Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to the disciples, who distributed the food to the crowd.

New Life Bible
Then He took the seven loaves of bread and the fish and gave thanks. He broke them and gave them to His followers. The followers gave them to the people.

New Revised Standard
he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
he took the seven loaves, and the fishes, and, giving thanks, brake, - and began giving to his disciples, and, the disciples, to the multitudes.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples gave to the people.

Revised Standard Version
he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
and toke the seven loves and the fysshes and gave thankes and brake them and gave to his disciples and the disciples gave them to the people.

Young's Literal Translation
and having taken the seven loaves and the fishes, having given thanks, he did break, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and toke ye seue loaues, & the fyshes, & gaue thankes & brake the, & gaue the to his disciples, & ye disciples gaue the vnto the people.

Mace New Testament (1729)
then taking the seven loaves, and the fish, he gave thanks, and distributed them, by pieces, to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Contextual Overview

²⁹When he left there, Jesus rode along the shore of Lake Galilee. He rode his horse up on top of a hill and sat there. ³⁰A whole mess of folks came up there where he was and brought with them people who were in bad shape. Some were blind. Some were deaf. Some were paralyzed and others couldn't talk. They brought 'em before Jesus and he fixed 'em all. ³¹Everyone was shocked by what Jesus was able to do. The paralyzed were walkin' and the mutes were talkin'. Everyone was shoutin' and shootin' up in the air in honor of the Boss. ³²Jesus called his cowboys over to him and said, "I feel sorry for all these people. They have been here with us for three days and some of 'em haven't had anything to eat. If some of 'em leave, they might pass out before they get home." ³³His cowboys said, "Man, this place is like a barren desert. We could butcher one hundred cows and not have enough food for all these people." ³⁴Jesus asked 'em what kind of food they had and they showed him seven small biscuits and some sardines. ³⁵Jesus hollered for everyone to sit down and then ³⁶he took the seven biscuits and the can of sardines and gave thanks for them. He then broke them and handed 'em to his cowboys so they could pass 'em out to everybody. ³⁷Everyone ate as much as they wanted and there was enough leftovers to fill seven large Dutch ovens. ³⁸There were four thousand cowboys who ate, not counting the womenfolk and little ones.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

and gave thanks: Matthew 26:26, Matthew 26:27, 1 Samuel 9:13, Luke 22:19, Luke 24:30, John 6:11, Acts 27:35, Romans 14:6, 1 Corinthians 10:31, 1 Timothy 4:3, 1 Timothy 4:4

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 17:14 - The barrel of meal Matthew 14:19 - he blessed Mark 6:41 - blessed Mark 8:6 - to sit Luke 9:16 - he blessed John 6:10 - Make

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he took the seven loaves and the fishes,.... Into his hands, and lifted them up, that it might be seen, and observed, that there were no other food than these, that so the miracle might appear in its true light:

and gave thanks; to God for the provision, though it was so small, in the name of the whole company, according to the usage of the Jewish nation; who, if there were ten thousand r, one for the rest used to say,

"let us bless the Lord our God, the God of Israel, the God of hosts, that sitteth between the cherubim:''

teaching us to do so likewise, and to be thankful for, and content with our portion, be it more or less:

and brake them; which also was the custom of the master of the family to do:

and gave to his disciples: as a fresh trial of their faith, to reprove their unbelief, to put them in mind of the former miracle, and that they might be witnesses of this, and, in order to distribute to the people, which they accordingly did:

and the disciples to the multitude; in doing which they obeyed their master's orders, though before they could not persuade themselves, that such a multitude of people could be filled with so small a quantity.

r Misn. Beracot, c. 7. sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The miracle recorded here - the feeding of the four thousand - took place on a mountain near the Sea of Galilee. The same account is recorded in Mark 8:1-10. The circumstances of the miracle are so similar to the one recorded in Matthew 14:14-21, as to need little additional explanation.

Matthew 15:32

Three days, and have nothing to eat - This is not, perhaps, to be taken literally, but only that during that time they had been deprived of their ordinary or regular food.

They had had only a very scanty supply, and on the third day even that began to fail.

Matthew 15:39

Coasts of Magdala - Mark says, “The parts of Dalmanutha.” Magdala was probably the same place which was formerly called Migdol, Joshua 19:38. It is now called Mejdel, and is situated a few miles north of the city of Tiberias, in the land of Gennesaret, on the western side of the Sea of Tiberias, and directly east of Cana of Galilee. “It is a wretched hamlet of a dozen low huts huddled into one, and the whole ready to tumble into a dismal heap of black basaltic rubbish.” - The Land and the Book (Thomson), vol. ii. p. 108. This was the birthplace of Mary Magdalene, out of whom the Saviour cast seven devils, Mark 16:9. Dalmanutha was probably a small village near to Magdala, of which no remains have been discovered. There is no contradiction in the statements of the two evangelists here, for they do not say that Jesus went to either of these towns, but only to the coasts or parts where they were situated.

Remarks On Matthew 15:0

We learn from this chapter:

1. That people are often far more attached to traditions and the commandments of human beings than to the Law of God, Matthew 15:1-6.
2. That people are strongly disposed to explain away the law of God, if possible. It is too strict for them, and too spiritual. They dare not often attack it directly, but they will explain it and dilute it so as to make it mean nothing. Wicked people do not love God’s law, Matthew 15:4-6.
3. People are prone to introduce foolish rites into religion. They do not love what God has commanded, and they attempt to compensate for not loving his doctrines by being great sticklers for their own, Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:3-4.
4. All addition to the law of God is evil, Matthew 15:3. All ceremonies in religion which are not authorized by the New Testament are wrong. Man has no right to ordain rites to bind the conscience where God has commanded none, Colossians 2:23. People come the nearest to that which is right when they live nearest to just what God has commanded in the Bible.
5. Hypocrites should be unmasked and detected, Matthew 15:7. He does a great service to people who detects their hypocrisy. That close and faithful preaching which lays open the heart, and shows people what they are, is that which comes nearest to the example of Christ. It may pain them, but the wounds of a friend are faithful Proverbs 27:6; and we should honor and love the man that, by the grace of God, can show us our own hearts. We always honor most the physician of the body that is most skilled in detecting and curing disease, and so should we the physician of the soul.
6. We should be exceedingly cautious in avoiding formality in worship, Matthew 15:8-9. It is hypocrisy. God requires the heart. To render to him only the service of the lips is to mock him. Nothing can be acceptable but true piety, genuine love, and hearty obedience; nothing more hateful than an appearance of worshipping God, while the heart is in sin and the world.
7. The duty of honoring parents, Matthew 15:4-6. Nothing can explain away this duty. It is binding on all. Parents should be obeyed, loved, respected. God requires it and we cannot be free from the duty. Under age, a child is bound always to obey a parent where the parent does not command anything contrary to the Bible; but when the parent commands anything contrary to the Bible, the child is not bound to obey, Acts 5:29. After the child is of age, he is to respect, love, and honor the parent; and, if poor and needy, to provide for his wants until he dies. It is certainly proper that we should do all that we can to comfort those in old age who did so much for us in childhood. A child can never repay a parent for his kindness to him.
8. We are not at liberty to give to anything else not even to religious uses - what is necessary to render our parents comfortable, Matthew 15:4-6. They have the first claim on us. And though it is our duty to do much in the cause of benevolence, yet our first duty should be to see that our parents do not suffer.
9. People easily take offence when they are faithfully reproved, and especially when their hypocrisy is exposed; and especially if this exposure is about some small matter on which they have greatly set their hearts some ceremony in worship or some foolish rite, Matthew 15:12.
10. Every false doctrine is to be opposed and should be rooted up, Matthew 15:13. It is to be opposed by arguments and candid investigation, and not by abuse and misrepresentation. Christ never misrepresented any man’s doctrine. He always stated it just as it was - just as they held it; and then, by argument and the word of God, he showed it was wrong. This is the proper way to manage all controversies.
11. It is of great importance to search the heart, Matthew 15:19-20. It is a fountain of evil. It is the source of all crime. External conduct is comparatively of little importance. In the sight of God, the heart is of more importance; and if that were pure, all would be well.
12. The doctrine of man’s depravity is true, Matthew 15:19. If the heart produces those things which are specified by the Saviour it cannot be pure. And yet who is there from whose heart, at some time, these things have not proceeded? Alas, the world is full of instances that prove that the human heart may produce all these things.
13. In our distress, and the distress of our children and friends, we should go to Jesus. We should, indeed, use all proper means to restore our friends when they are sick; but we should feel that God only can grant returning health and life, Matthew 15:22.
14. We should not be discouraged that our prayers are not immediately answered. God knows the proper time to answer them, and it may be of great importance to us that the answer should be deferred, Matthew 15:23.
15. We should still persevere, Matthew 15:24-27. We should not be discouraged. We should not be disheartened even by the appearance of neglect or unkind treatment.
16. Our prayers will be answered if we persevere, Matthew 15:28. They that seek shall find. In due time - in the best and most proper time - a gracious God will lend an ear to our request, and grant the thing we need.
17. We should come with humility and faith, Matthew 15:27. We can never think too little of ourselves, or too much of the mercy and faithfulness of Christ. Prayers of humility and faith only are answered.
18. Christ will take care of his poor and needy followers. We may be assured that he has power to give us all we need, and that in times of necessity he will supply our wants, Matthew 15:32-38.
19. The great number of poor in the world is no reason why he should not supply them, Matthew 15:38. He daily supplies the wants of nine hundred millions of human beings, besides countless numbers of the beasts of the field, of the fowls of heaven, and the fishes of the sea. It is a small thing to supply the needs of the few poor people on the earth, and He who feeds the world will take care of us in the time of need.
20. We should be grateful to God for our daily food. We should render to him proper thanksgiving, Matthew 15:36.