| 13 Jesus withdrew privately by boat to a solitary
place, but the crowds continued to follow Him. Evening was now approaching
and the crowds, many of whom had travelled a great distance, were growing
hungry.
14 Seeing this Jesus sent his disciples out to gather food, but all they
could find were five loaves of bread and two fishes. 15 Then Jesus asked
that they go out again and gather up the provisions which the crowds had
brought to sustain them in their travels. Once this was accomplished there
stood before Jesus a mountain of fish and bread. 16 He then directed the
people to sit down on the grass.
17 Standing before the food and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks to
God and broke the bread. 18 Then he passed the food around his disciples
and they ate like kings in full view of the starving people. 19 But what
was truly amazing, what was miraculous about this event, was that when
they had finished the massive banquet there was not even enough crumbs
to fill a starving hand. |