Mark 6:30-53

30Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. 31And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place. 33But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them. 34When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

35By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. 36Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.”

They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii1 to give all of them bread to eat?”

38“Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them.

And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. 40So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.

42They all ate and were satisfied, 43and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.

45Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.

47When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land. 48He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night,2 Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them, 49but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost— 50for they all saw Him and were terrified.

But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” 51Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded, 52for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.

53When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat.