1 In  * 8:1–10 Mt 15:29–38 those days there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. He called  * 8:1 Lk 18:16 the disciples  * 8:1 Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1 and said to them, 2 "I have compassion* 8:2 Lk 15:20on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat.3 If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way,* 8:3 Mk 8:27and some of them have come a long distance."

4 His disciples answered him, "Where can anyone get enough bread here in this desolate place to feed  * 8:4 Mt 5:6; 15:33 these people? "

5 "How many loaves do you have? " he asked them.

"Seven," they said. 6 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Taking the seven loaves, he gave thanks, broke  * 8:6 Mk 14:22 them, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. So they served them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few small fish, and after he had blessed them, he said these were to be served as well. 8 They ate and were satisfied. Then they collected seven large baskets of leftover pieces. 9 About four thousand were there. He dismissed them.