His disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could anyone find enough bread to feed all these people?”
Parallel translations
- WEB His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?”
- KJV And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?
- NKJV Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”
- NASB And His disciples replied to Him, “Where will anyone be able to find enough bread here in this desolate place to satisfy these people?”
- NLT His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”
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
The disciples doubt how anyone could feed such a crowd in the wilderness. Their question exposes how quickly they forget Jesus' power.
Overview
Strikingly, the disciples ask this despite having witnessed the feeding of the five thousand. Their forgetfulness mirrors Israel's repeated doubt in the wilderness and our own tendency to limit God by present circumstances. The scene sets the stage for Jesus to display again that he is the all-sufficient provider.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Mark 6:52for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.
- Matt 15:33The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
- Ps 78:19–20They spoke against God, saying, “Can God really prepare a table in the wilderness?
- Mark 6:36–37Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
- John 6:7–9Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”
- 2 Kgs 7:2But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” replied Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it.”
- Num 11:21–23But Moses replied, “Here I am among 600,000 men on foot, yet You say, ‘I will give them meat, and they will eat for a month.’
- 2 Kgs 4:42–44Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 8:4 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.