3. Some of them live a long way from here. If I send them away hungry, they might faint on their way home.”
4. The disciples said, “This place is like a desert. Where can we find enough food to feed such a crowd?”
5. Jesus asked them how much food they had. They replied, “Seven small loaves of bread.”
6. After Jesus told the crowd to sit down, he took the seven loaves and blessed them. He then broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples, who passed them out to the crowd.
7. They also had a few little fish, and after Jesus had blessed these, he told the disciples to pass them around.
8-9. The crowd of about four thousand people ate all they wanted, and the leftovers filled seven large baskets.As soon as Jesus had sent the people away,
10. he got into the boat with the disciples and crossed to the territory near Dalmanutha.
11. The Pharisees came out and started an argument with Jesus. They wanted to test him by asking for a sign from heaven.
12. Jesus groaned and said, “Why are you always looking for a sign? I can promise you that you will not be given one!”
13. Then he left them. He again got into a boat and crossed over to the other side of the lake.