MAT 14:13-21

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

13Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by himself. But when the crowds heard of it, they followed him on foot from the towns. [14:14] When he went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he was moved with deep compassion for them and healed their sick. [14:15] When evening came, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." [14:16] But Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." [14:17] They said to him, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." [14:18] And he said, "Bring them here to me." [14:19] Then he ordered the crowds to recline on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. [14:20] And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve hand-baskets full of the broken pieces left over. [14:21] And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Greco-Roman world, meals were deeply communal and symbolic acts, often reflecting social hierarchies and divine provision. The setting of a 'secluded place' would have evoked wilderness narratives from Jewish tradition, where God provided for His people, such as manna in the desert. The crowd’s pursuit of Jesus on foot underscores their desperation and hope for healing, as illness was often seen as a sign of divine disfavor. The disciples’ concern about the desolate location and the lateness of the hour reflects practical anxieties about hospitality and sustenance in a culture where feeding guests was a sacred duty. Jesus’ command to 'sit down' aligns with the Greco-Roman custom of reclining for meals, a posture of fellowship and abundance. The use of (baskets) suggests a Jewish context, as these were commonly used by Jews for carrying food. The act of blessing and distributing bread echoes Jewish meal prayers and the expectation of God’s provision. This event would have resonated as a sign of Jesus’ authority and the inbreaking of God’s kingdom.

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How other translations render this

MAT 14:13

KJV: When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
BSB: When Jesus heard about John, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. But the crowds found out about it and followed Him on foot from the towns.
Koinōnos: Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by himself. But when the crowds heard of it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

MAT 14:14

KJV: And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
BSB: When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
Koinōnos: When he went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he was moved with deep compassion for them and healed their sick.

MAT 14:15

KJV: And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
BSB: When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
Koinōnos: When evening came, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.

MAT 14:16

KJV: But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
BSB: “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
Koinōnos: But Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat.

MAT 14:17

KJV: And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
BSB: “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
Koinōnos: They said to him, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.

MAT 14:18

KJV: He said, Bring them hither to me.
BSB: “Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said.
Koinōnos: And he said, "Bring them here to me.

MAT 14:19

KJV: And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
BSB: And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Koinōnos: Then he ordered the crowds to recline on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

MAT 14:20

KJV: And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
BSB: They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
Koinōnos: And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve hand-baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

MAT 14:21

KJV: And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.
BSB: About five thousand men were fed, besides women and children.
Koinōnos: And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

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

Translator's notes

MAT 14:14

a crowd:The word translated 'a crowd' here is actually a verb meaning 'to feel compassion deeply,' often implying a visceral, gut-level response. It suggests Jesus was moved to his core by their need.

MAT 14:19

to sit down:The term translated 'to sit down' implies reclining at a meal, which was the common posture for dining in the ancient world, rather than sitting upright in chairs.
heaven:The word translated 'heaven' here is actually a verb meaning 'to bless' or 'to speak well of.' In this context, it refers to Jesus giving thanks and praise to God.

MAT 14:20

hand-baskets:The 'hand-baskets' mentioned here were a common item, often associated with Jewish travelers, and were typically large enough to carry provisions for a journey.