Limitless Word
And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
Luke 9:17 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB They ate, and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
  • BSB They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
  • NKJV So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.
  • NASB And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.
  • NLT They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers!

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

Everyone eats and is satisfied, and twelve baskets of leftovers are gathered. The abundance proves the miracle was real and that Christ provides more than enough.

Overview

The full satisfaction of the crowd and the twelve baskets of fragments demonstrate God's lavish provision through His Son. The leftovers, likely one basket per disciple, confirm that nothing is wasted and that Christ's supply exceeds the need. This sign reveals Jesus as the one who satisfies hunger, pointing ahead to Him as the bread of life.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 12

  • 2 Kgs 4:44So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD.
  • Prov 13:25The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.
  • Mark 6:42–44And they did all eat, and were filled.
  • Mark 8:8–9So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.
  • 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.
  • Matt 16:9–10Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
  • Mark 8:19–20When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
  • John 6:11–13And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
  • Phil 4:18–19But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.
  • Ps 37:16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
  • Ps 107:9For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Luke videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Luke 9:17YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on LukeMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 9:17 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.