Luke 9:13

11 But the crowds found out and followed Him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and He healed those who needed healing.

12 As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”

But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.”

14 (There were about five thousand men.) He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.”

15 They did so, and everyone was seated.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered, “unless we go and buy food for all these people.”
KJV
But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.
WEB
But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.”
ASV
But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more than five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy food for all this people.
DARBY
And he said to them, Give *ye them to eat. And they said, We have not more than five loaves and two fishes, unless *we* should go and buy food for all this people;
BLB
But He said to them, “You⁺ give to them to eat.” But they said, “There are unto us no more than five loaves and two fish, unless, having gone, we should buy food for all this people.”
ÅB
Han sa da til dem: Gi dere dem å spise! Men de sa: Vi har ikke mere enn fem brød og to fisker, medmindre vi skulle gå bort og kjøpe mat til alt dette folk.
OTB
Han svarte: "Dere skal gi dem noe å spise." De sa: "Vi har bare fem brød og to fisk—med mindre vi går og kjøper mat til hele denne folkemengden."
B1930
Han sa da til dem: Gi I dem å ete! Men de sa: Vi har ikke mere enn fem brød og to fisker, medmindre vi skulde gå bort og kjøpe mat til alt dette folk.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Proverbs 11:24–25

    One gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds what is right, only to become poor.

    Read in context
  • 2 Kings 4:42–43

    Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.

    Read in context
  • John 6:5–9

    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?”

    Read in context
  • Mark 6:37–38

    But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.” They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?”

    Read in context
  • Matthew 14:16–17

    “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”

    Read in context
  • Numbers 11:21–23

    But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’

    Read in context