Study Desk

The^(cc) apostles^(cd) gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all that they had done and taught.

He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while." For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place,

but many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.^[j]

So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion^(ce) on them, because they were like sheep^(cf) without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.

When it was already late, His disciples^(cg) approached Him and said, "This place is a wilderness,^(ch) and it is already late!

Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat."

"You give them something to eat," He responded. They said to Him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii^(ci) worth of bread and give them something to eat?"

And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look." When they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down^[k] in groups on the green grass.

So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties.

Then 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.

Everyone ate and was filled.^(cj)

Then they picked up 12 baskets full of pieces of bread and fish.

Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

Immediately^(ck) He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida,^(cl) while He dismissed the crowd.

After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain^(cm) to pray.^(cn)

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land.

He saw them being battered^(co) as they rowed,^[l] because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning^[m] He came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them.

When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost^(cp) and cried out;

for they all saw Him and were terrified.^(cq) Immediately He spoke with them and said, "Have courage!^(cr) It is I.^(cs) Don't be afraid." ^(ct)

Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded,^[n]

because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.^(cu)

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret^(cv) and beached the boat.

As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Him.

They hurried throughout that vicinity and began to carry the sick^(cw) on mats to wherever they heard He was.

Wherever He would go, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch just the tassel^(cx) of His robe.^(cy) And everyone who touched it was made well.