Luke 9:10-17

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

9:10 When ¹  the apostles returned, ²  they told Jesus ³  everything they had done. Then ⁴  he took them with him and they withdrew privately to a town ⁵  called Bethsaida. ⁶  9:11 But when the crowds found out, they followed him. He ⁷  welcomed them, spoke to them about the kingdom of God, ⁸  and cured those who needed healing. ⁹  9:12 Now the day began to draw to a close, ¹⁰  so ¹¹  the twelve came and said to Jesus, ¹²  “Send the crowd away, so they can go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging ¹³  and food, because we are in an isolated place.” ¹⁴  9:13 But he said to them, “You ¹⁵  give them something to eat.” They ¹⁶  replied, ¹⁷  “We have no more than five loaves and two fish – unless ¹⁸  we go ¹⁹  and buy food ²⁰  for all these people.” 9:14 (Now about five thousand men ²¹  were there.) ²²  Then ²³  he said to his disciples, “Have ²⁴  them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 9:15 So they did as Jesus directed, ²⁵  and the people ²⁶  all sat down.

9:16 Then ²⁷  he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he gave thanks ²⁸  and broke them. He gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. 9:17 They all ate and were satisfied, and what was left over ²⁹  was picked up – twelve baskets of broken pieces.

¹ tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

² tn The participle ὑποστρέψαντες (Jupostreyante") has been taken temporally.

³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

⁵ tc There is a seeming myriad of variants for this text. Many mss read εἰς τόπον ἔρημον (ei" topon erhmon, “to a deserted place”; א*^,2 [1241]) or εἰς τόπον ἔρημον πόλεως καλουμένης Βηθσαϊδά (ei" topon erhmon polew" kaloumenh" Bhqsai>da, “to a deserted place of a town called Bethsaida”; [A] C W Ξ^mg [Ë^1,13] [565] Ï) here, while others have εἰς κώμην λεγομένην Βηδσαϊδά (ei" kwmhn legomenhn Bhdsai>da, “to a village called Bedsaida”; D), εἰς κώμην καλουμένην Βηθσαϊδά εἰς τόπον ἔρημον (ei" kwmhn kaloumenhn Bhqsai>da ei" topon erhmon, “to a village called Bethsaida to a deserted place”; Θ), or εἰς τόπον καλουμένον Βηθσαϊδά (ei" topon kaloumenon Bhqsaida, “to a place called Bethsaida”; Ψ). The Greek behind the translation (εἰς πόλιν καλουμένην Βηθσαϊδά, ei" polin kaloumenhn Bhqsai>da) is supported by (Ì⁷⁵) א¹ B L Ξ* 33 2542 pc co. The variants can be grouped generally into those that speak of a “deserted place” and those that speak of a place/city/town called Bethsaida. The Byzantine reading is evidently a conflation of the earlier texts, and should be dismissed as secondary. The variants that speak of a deserted place are an assimilation to Mark 6:32, as well a harmonization with v. 12, and should also be regarded as secondary. The reading that best explains the rise of the others – both internally and externally – is the one that stands behind the translation and is found in the text of NA²⁷.

⁶ sn Bethsaida was a town on the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee. Probably this should be understood to mean a place in the vicinity of the town. It represents an attempt to reconcile the location with the place of the miraculous feeding that follows.

⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁸ sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

⁹ sn Again the combination of word (spoke to them) and healing (cured, compassionate deed) is what summarizes Jesus’ ministry: See Luke 4:38-44; 6:17-19; 7:22 (as also the disciples, 9:6).

¹⁰ tn Grk “the day began to decline,” looking to the approach of sunset.

¹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the disciples’ request was related to the approach of sunset.

¹² tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn That is, find someone to show them hospitality. L&N 34.61 has “find lodging,” using this verse as an example.

¹⁴ tn Or “in a desert” (meaning a deserted or desolate area with sparse vegetation). Here ὧδε (Jwde) has not been translated.

¹⁵ tn Here the pronoun ὑμεῖς (Jumeis) is used, making “you” in the translation emphatic.

¹⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁷ tn Grk “said.”

¹⁸ tn This possibility is introduced through a conditional clause, but it is expressed with some skepticism (BDF §376).

¹⁹ tn The participle πορευθέντες (poreuqente") has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.

²⁰ sn Not only would going and buying food have been expensive and awkward at this late time of day, it would have taken quite a logistical effort to get the food back out to this isolated location.

²¹ tn The Greek text reads here ἄνδρες (andres) – that is, adult males. The actual count would be larger, since the use of this Greek term suggests that women and children were not included in this number (see the parallel in Matt 14:21).

²² sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

²³ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

²⁴ tn Or “Make” (depending on how the force of the imperative verb is understood). Grk “cause them to recline” (the verb has causative force here).

²⁵ tn Grk “And they did thus.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the disciples’ action was a result of Jesus’ instructions. The adverb οὕτως ({outw", “thus”) has been expanded in the translation to “as Jesus directed” to clarify what was done.

²⁶ tn Grk “and they”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

²⁸ sn Gave thanks adds a note of gratitude to the setting. The scene is like two other later meals: Luke 22:19 and 24:30. Jesus gives thanks to God “with respect to” the provision of food. The disciples learn how Jesus is the mediator of blessing. John 6 speaks of him in this scene as picturing the “Bread of Life.”

²⁹ sn There was more than enough for everybody, as indicated by the gathering of what was left over.