LUK 9:10-17

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

10When the apostles returned, they recounted to him all they had done. Taking them along, he withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida. [9:11] The crowds, learning of it, followed him. Welcoming them, he spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those in need of healing. [9:12] As the day began to decline, the Twelve approached and said to him: "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions, because we are here in a desolate place." [9:13] He said to them: "Give them something to eat yourselves." They said: "We have no more than five loaves and two fish — unless we go and buy food for all these people." [9:14] For there were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples: "Have them recline in groups of about fifty each." [9:15] They did so and had everyone recline. [9:16] Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. [9:17] Everyone ate and was satisfied, and what was left over was gathered — twelve hand-baskets of broken pieces.

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Jewish context, the feeding of the five thousand would have resonated deeply with themes of divine provision and messianic expectation. The crowd’s gathering in a ‘desolate place’ echoes the wilderness narratives of Exodus, where God provided manna for Israel. The act of reclining in groups for a meal reflects the communal dining practices of the time, often associated with fellowship and celebration. The use of (baskets) is significant, as these were commonly associated with Jewish identity, often used to carry kosher food. Jesus’s instruction to ‘give them something to eat’ challenges the disciples’ reliance on human solutions, pointing instead to divine abundance. The miracle would have been understood as a sign of Jesus’s authority over creation, evoking comparisons to Elisha’s multiplication of loaves (2 Kings 4:42-44). For the Jewish audience, this act would have signaled the arrival of God’s kingdom, where scarcity is overcome by divine provision.

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How other translations render this

LUK 9:10

KJV: And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.
BSB: Then the apostles returned and reported to Jesus all that they had done. Taking them away privately, He withdrew to a town called Bethsaida.
Koinōnos: When the apostles returned, they recounted to him all they had done. Taking them along, he withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida.

LUK 9:11

KJV: And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
BSB: But the crowds found out and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and He healed those who needed healing.
Koinōnos: The crowds, learning of it, followed him. Welcoming them, he spoke to them about the kingdom of God and healed those in need of healing.

LUK 9:12

KJV: And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.
BSB: As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”
Koinōnos: As the day began to decline, the Twelve approached and said to him: "Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions, because we are here in a desolate place.

LUK 9:13

KJV: But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
BSB: But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.”
Koinōnos: He said to them: "Give them something to eat yourselves." They said: "We have no more than five loaves and two fish — unless we go and buy food for all these people.

LUK 9:14

KJV: For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.
BSB: (There were about five thousand men.) He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”
Koinōnos: For there were about five thousand men. He said to his disciples: "Have them recline in groups of about fifty each.

LUK 9:15

KJV: And they did so, and made them all sit down.
BSB: They did so, and everyone was seated.
Koinōnos: They did so and had everyone recline.

LUK 9:16

KJV: Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
BSB: Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
Koinōnos: Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, blessed them, broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

LUK 9:17

KJV: And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
BSB: They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Koinōnos: Everyone ate and was satisfied, and what was left over was gathered — twelve hand-baskets of broken pieces.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

LUK 9:10

in private:The word translated 'in private' emphasizes something belonging to or pertaining to oneself, highlighting a personal and exclusive space, distinct from public or shared areas.
solitary:The word translated 'solitary' here is actually the common term for 'to call' or 'to invite.' The English translation likely reflects a textual variant or interpretive choice, as the original word does not inherently mean 'solitary.'

LUK 9:14

groups:The word translated 'groups' originally referred to a place for reclining or lying down, like a hut or shed, and by extension, the people gathered there for a meal.

LUK 9:17

hand-baskets:The word translated 'hand-baskets' refers to a specific type of basket, often associated with Jewish people in the 1st century, and was a common item for carrying provisions.