Study Desk

They also kept driving out many demons and pouring oil on many who were sick and healing them.James 5:14;">[xr]

When John'shis">[fn] disciples heard about this, they came and carried off his body and laid it in a tomb.

The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.Luke 9:10;">[xr]

He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest for a while." For so many people were coming and going that theyand they">[fn] didn't even have time to eat.Matthew 14:13; Mark 3:20;">[xr]

But many people saw them leave and recognized them. So they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them.

When he got out of the boat,of the boat">[fn] he saw a large crowd. He had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.Matthew 9:36; 14:14; Luke 9:11;">[xr]

Send the crowdsthem">[fn] away so that they can go to the neighboring farms and villages and buy themselves something to eat."

But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii[fn] worth of bread and give it to them to eat?"Numbers 11:13,22; 2 Kings 4:43;">[xr]

He asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and see." They found out and told him, "Five loavesloaves">[fn] and two fish."Matthew 14:17; 15:34; Mark 8:5; Luke 9:13; John 6:9;">[xr]

So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

but when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and began to scream.

When they had crossed over, they came ashore at Gennesaret and anchored the boat.Matthew 14:34;">[xr]

They ran all over the countryside and began carrying the sick on their cots to any place where they heard he was.

(For the Pharisees and indeed all the Jewish people don't eat unless they wash their hands properly,with a fist">[fn] following the tradition of their elders.

They don't eat anything from the marketplace unless they dip it in water. They also observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, jars, brass pots, and dinner tables.)and dinner tables">[fn]

So the Pharisees and the scribes asked Jesus,him">[fn] "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders? Instead, they eateat bread">[fn] with unclean hands."Matthew 15:2;">[xr]

They were amazed beyond measure, saying, "He does everything well! He even makes deaf people hear and mute people talk!"

"I have compassion for the crowd because they have already been with me for three days and have nothing to eat.

So he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and gave thanks. He broke them in pieces and kept giving them to his disciples to distribute. So they served them to the crowd.

They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fishthese">[fn] should also be distributed.Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41;">[xr]