Mark 6:30-52

³⁰When the apostles came back to Jesus, they told him all that they had done and all that they had taught.

³¹“Come by yourselves privately to some lonely spot,” he said, “and rest for a while” — for there were so many people coming and going that they had not time even to eat.

³²So they set off privately in their boat for a lonely spot.

³³Many people saw them going, and recognized them, and from all the towns they flocked together to the place on foot, and got there before them.

³⁴On getting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and his heart was moved at the sight of them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

³⁵When it grew late, his disciples came up to him, and said, “This is a lonely spot, and it is already late.

³⁶Send the people away, so that they may go to the farms and villages around and buy themselves something to eat.”

³⁷But Jesus answered, “It is for you to give them something to eat.” “Are we to go and spend almost a year's wages on bread,” they asked, “to give them to eat?”

³⁸“How many loaves have you?” he asked; “Go, and see.” When they had found out, they told him, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹Jesus directed them to make all the people take their seats on the green grass, in parties;

⁴⁰and they sat down in groups — in hundreds, and in fifties.

⁴¹Taking the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus looked up to heaven, and said the blessing; he broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples for them to serve out to the people, and he divided the two fish also among them all.

⁴²Everyone had sufficient to eat;

⁴³and they picked up enough broken pieces to fill twelve baskets, as well as some of the fish.

⁴⁴The people who ate the bread were five thousand in number.

⁴⁵Immediately afterward Jesus made his disciples get into the boat, and cross over in advance, in the direction of Bethsaida, while he himself was dismissing the crowd.

⁴⁶After he had taken leave of the people, he went away up the hill to pray.

⁴⁷When evening fell, the boat was out in the middle of the sea, and Jesus on the shore alone.

⁴⁸Seeing them laboring at the oars — for the wind was against them — about three hours after midnight Jesus came towards them, walking on the water, intending to join them.

⁴⁹But, when they saw him walking on the water, they thought it was a ghost, and cried out;

⁵⁰for all of them saw him, and were terrified. But Jesus at once spoke to them. “Courage!” he said, “it is I; do not be afraid!”

⁵¹Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind dropped. The disciples were utterly amazed,

⁵²for they had not understood about the loaves, their minds being slow to learn.