Keraia
John 6

John 6:5

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

Translations

Modern
When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”
Traditional
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
Literal
Then Jesus, having lifted up the eyes and having seen that a great crowd is coming to Him, says to Philip, “From where shall we buy bread so that these might eat?”
Latin
Cum sublevasset ergo oculos Jesus, et vidisset quia multitudo maxima venit ad eum, dixit ad Philippum: Unde ememus panes, ut manducent hi?

Interlinear

Greek
English
When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”

Notes

John 6:5

Where can we buy bread: When the Israelites left Egypt after the first Passover and entered the desert, finding food and water was also their first concern (Exodus 15:22–16:3).

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

People

Jesus: The Son of God and Savior of the world Philip: One of the twelve apostles of Jesus

Glossary

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

Topics

Faith: Trial of of Philip, when Questioned by Jesus As to How the Multitude Would be Fed Jesus, the Christ: Miracles of More than Five-Thousand People Fed Jesus, the Christ: The Twelve Apostles Return Philip: One of the Twelve Apostles: Assists in Caring for the Multitude Whom Jesus Miraculously Feeds