Keraia
John 6

John 6:12

The Feeding of the Five Thousand · John 6:1–15
Read John 6

Translations

Modern
And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
Traditional
When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
Literal
Now when they were filled, He says to His disciples, “Gather together the fragments having superabounded, so that nothing may be lost.”
Latin
Ut autem impleti sunt, dixit discipulis suis: Colligite quæ superaverunt fragmenta, ne pereant.

Original

Greek
English
And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”

Notes

John 6:1–15

Jesus feeding the 5,000 recalls the Old Testament story of manna (bread from heaven) when Israel was in the wilderness (Exodus 16). In that story, God provided bread each day for his people.

In the time of Jesus, some Jewish teachers believed that the Messiah would again give bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4). They expected a new act of divine provision.

When Jesus fed the crowd, he met this expectation. However, he was not only giving physical bread. He was pointing to himself as the true bread from heaven, who gives life to the world.

John 6:1–71

Each story in this chapter uses the setting of the Feast of the Passover (6:4) to communicate a deeper meaning.

Events

Parallels

Matthew 14:13–21 Mark 6:30–44 Luke 9:10–17

Glossary

Agriculture Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Bread Food and Food Preparation Jesus Christ Jesus Christ, Teachings of John, Gospel of Lord’s Supper, the Miracle Sea of Galilee Spirit of Jesus Christ

Topics

Being Wasteful Economics: Household Jesus, the Christ: Miracles of More than Five-Thousand People Fed Jesus, the Christ: The Twelve Apostles Return Recycling Waste Wasting