He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”
Parallel translations
- WEB He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven.”
- KJV And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
- BSB “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied.
- NASB And He was asking them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”
- NLT Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” “Seven loaves,” they replied.
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 asks how many loaves they have, and they report seven. He begins with the little they possess.
Overview
As before, Jesus works through the meager resources at hand, teaching that he multiplies what is offered to him. The number seven, often associated with fullness, may hint at the completeness of his provision. The detail reminds believers that God delights to use small offerings surrendered to him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 4
- Matt 14:15–17When evening had come, his disciples came to him, saying, “This place is deserted, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves food.”
- Mark 6:38He said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go see.” When they knew, they said, “Five, and two fish.”
- Matt 15:34Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” They said, “Seven, and a few small fish.”
- Luke 9:13But he said to them, “You give them something to eat.” They said, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we should go and buy food for all these people.”
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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 8:5 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.