When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
Parallel translations
- WEB When they were filled, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost.”
- BSB And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”
- NKJV So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.”
- NASB And when they had eaten their fill, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.”
- NLT After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
After everyone is full, Jesus tells the disciples to gather the leftovers so nothing is wasted. It shows that God's abundance is never careless and that He values every fragment.
Overview
The command to lose nothing reflects both prudence and a deeper theme in John, where Jesus loses none whom the Father gives Him (6:39; 17:12). Even in overflowing provision, there is purposeful care. The gathered fragments will testify to the reality and scale of the miracle.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Luke 1:53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
- Neh 9:25And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
- Luke 9:17And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
- Mark 6:42–44And they did all eat, and were filled.
- Neh 8:10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
- Matt 14:20–21And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
- Matt 15:37–38And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.
- Mark 8:8–9So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
- Prov 18:9He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
- Luke 15:13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
- Luke 16:1And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 6:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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