Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.
Parallel translations
- WEB He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.
- KJV Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
- BSB Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.
- NASB And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and, looking up to heaven, He blessed them and broke them, and gave them to the disciples again and again, to serve the crowd.
- NLT Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people.
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
Jesus takes the loaves and fish, looks to heaven, blesses and breaks them, and gives them to the disciples to distribute. He gives thanks to the Father and then multiplies the food through His servants.
Overview
The actions of taking, blessing, breaking, and giving foreshadow the Last Supper and point to Christ as the giver of true bread. By looking up to heaven, Jesus acknowledges the Father as the source of all provision. He works through the disciples' hands, showing how He feeds the multitudes by means of His servants who carry His gifts to the people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 14:19He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the multitudes.
- Luke 24:30When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them.
- 1 Tim 4:4–5For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.
- Matt 15:36and he took the seven loaves and the fish. He gave thanks and broke them, and gave to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes.
- Rom 14:6He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks. He who doesn’t eat, to the Lord he doesn’t eat, and gives God thanks.
- John 6:11Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down; likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.
- John 6:23However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
- Luke 22:19He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”
- Acts 27:35When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and began to eat.
- Ps 121:1–2A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?
- 1 Cor 10:30If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced for that for which I give thanks?
- 1 Cor 11:24When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
- Mark 7:34Looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 9:16 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.