36. Send them away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy something to eat for themselves."
37. He replied, "You give them something to eat." But they said to him, "Should we go off and buy bread worth almost eight months’ pay and give it to them to eat?"
38. He said to them, "How much bread do you have? Take a look." After checking, they said, "Five loaves of bread and two fish."
39. He directed the disciples to seat all the people in groups as though they were having a banquet on the green grass.
40. They sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
41. He took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke the loaves into pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.
42. Everyone ate until they were full.
43. They filled twelve baskets with the leftover pieces of bread and fish.
44. About five thousand had eaten.
45. Right then, Jesus made his disciples get into a boat and go ahead to the other side of the lake, toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.
46. After saying good-bye to them, Jesus went up onto a mountain to pray.
47. Evening came and the boat was in the middle of the lake, but he was alone on the land.
48. He saw his disciples struggling. They were trying to row forward, but the wind was blowing against them. Very early in the morning, he came to them, walking on the lake. He intended to pass by them.
49. When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost and they screamed.
50. Seeing him was terrifying to all of them. Just then he spoke to them, "Be encouraged! It’s me. Don’t be afraid."
51. He got into the boat, and the wind settled down. His disciples were so baffled they were beside themselves.
52. That’s because they hadn’t understood about the loaves. Their hearts had been changed so that they resisted God’s ways.
53. When Jesus and his disciples had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret, anchored the boat,
54. and came ashore. People immediately recognized Jesus