2. “I feel sorry for these people. They have been with me for three days, and now they have nothing to eat.
3. I should not send them home hungry. If they leave without eating, they will faint on the way home. Some of them live a long way from here.”
4. Jesus’ followers answered, “But we are far away from any towns. Where can we get enough bread to feed all these people?”
5. Then Jesus asked them, “How many loaves of bread do you have?” They answered, “We have seven loaves of bread.”
6. Jesus told the people to sit on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. He broke the bread into pieces and gave them to his followers. He told them to give the bread to the people, and they did as he said.
7. The followers also had a few small fish. Jesus gave thanks for the fish and told them to give the fish to the people.
8. They all ate until they were full. Then the followers filled seven baskets with the pieces of food that were left.
9. There were about 4000 men who ate. After they ate, Jesus told them to go home.
10. Then he went in a boat with his followers to the area of Dalmanutha.
11. The Pharisees came to Jesus and asked him questions. They wanted to test him. So they asked him to do a miracle as a sign from God.
12. Jesus sighed deeply and said, “Why do you people ask to see a miracle as a sign? I want you to know that no miracle will be done to prove anything to you.”
13. Then Jesus left them and went in the boat to the other side of the lake.
14. The followers had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. They forgot to bring more bread.
15. Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
16. The followers discussed the meaning of this. They said, “He said this because we have no bread.”