36. Let the crowds leave, so they can go to the farms and villages near here and buy something to eat.”
37. Jesus replied, “You give them something to eat.”But they asked him, “Don't you know that it would take almost a year's wages to buy all these people something to eat?”
38. Then Jesus said, “How much bread do you have? Go and see!”They found out and answered, “We have five small loaves of bread and two fish.”
39. Jesus told his disciples to make the people sit down on the green grass.
40. They sat down in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty.
41. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up towards heaven and blessed the food. Then he broke the bread and handed it to his disciples to give to the people. He also divided the two fish, so that everyone could have some.
42. After everyone had eaten all they wanted,
43. Jesus' disciples picked up twelve large baskets of leftover bread and fish.
44. There were five thousand men who ate the food.
45. Straight away, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and start back across to Bethsaida. But he stayed until he had sent the crowds away.
46. Then he said goodbye to them and went up on the side of a mountain to pray.