And they all ate and were satisfied; and the broken pieces which they had left over were picked up, twelve baskets full.
Parallel translations
- WEB They ate, and were all filled. They gathered up twelve baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
- KJV And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.
- 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.
- 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 ate, and had some left over, according to Yahweh’s word.
- Prov 13:25The righteous one eats to the satisfying of his soul, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry.
- Mark 6:42–44They all ate, and were filled.
- Mark 8:8–9They ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets of broken pieces that were left over.
- Matt 14:20–21They all ate, and were filled. They took up twelve baskets full of that which remained left over from the broken pieces.
- Matt 15:37–38They all ate, and were filled. They took up seven baskets full of the broken pieces that were left over.
- Matt 16:9–10Don’t you yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?
- Mark 8:19–20When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They told him, “Twelve.”
- John 6:11–13Jesus 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.
- Phil 4:18–19But I have all things, and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
- Ps 37:16Better is a little that the righteous has, than the abundance of many wicked.
- Ps 107:9For he satisfies the longing soul. He fills the hungry soul with good.
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 9:17 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.