Mark 6:30-56 NIRV

Mark 6:30-56

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

The apostles gathered around Jesus. They told him all they had done and taught. But many people were coming and going. So they did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said to his apostles, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place. You need to get some rest.”

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a quiet place. But many people who saw them leaving recognized them. They ran from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus came ashore, he saw a large crowd. He felt deep concern for them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

By that time it was late in the day. His disciples came to him. “There is nothing here,” they said. “It’s already very late. Send the people away. Then they can go to the nearby countryside and villages to buy something to eat.”

But Jesus answered, “You give them something to eat.”

They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s pay! Should we go and spend that much on bread? Are we supposed to feed them?”

“How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Go and see.”

When they found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.”

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of 100s and 50s. Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish. He looked up to heaven and gave thanks. He broke the loaves into pieces. Then he gave them to his disciples to pass around to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. All of them ate and were satisfied. The disciples picked up 12 baskets of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of men who had eaten was 5,000.

Jesus Walks on the Water

Right away Jesus made his disciples get into the boat. He had them go on ahead of him to Bethsaida. Then he sent the crowd away. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was alone on land. He saw the disciples pulling hard on the oars. The wind was blowing against them. Shortly before dawn, he went out to them. He walked on the lake. When he was about to pass by them, they saw him walking on the lake. They thought he was a ghost, so they cried out. They all saw him and were terrified.

Right away Jesus said to them, “Be brave! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them. The wind died down. And they were completely amazed. They had not understood about the loaves. They were stubborn.

They went across the lake and landed at Gennesaret. There they tied up the boat. As soon as Jesus and his disciples got out, people recognized him. They ran through that whole area to bring to him those who were sick. They carried them on mats to where they heard he was. He went into the villages, the towns and the countryside. Everywhere he went, the people brought the sick to the market areas. Those who were sick begged him to let them touch just the edge of his clothes. And all who touched his clothes were healed.

Read More of Mark 6