But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
Parallel translations
- WEB But Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
- BSB “They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
- NKJV But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
- NASB But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go; you give them something to eat!”
- NLT But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessary—you feed them.”
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 tells the disciples they themselves should feed the crowd. He challenges them to look to Him rather than away.
Overview
Rather than dismissing the crowd, Jesus instructs His disciples to provide food, a task far beyond their means. His command stretches their faith and invites them to participate in His work. The verse teaches that Christ often calls His people to serve in ways that require dependence on His power rather than their own resources.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Kgs 4:42–44And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
- 2 Cor 8:2–3How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
- Eccl 11:2Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
- John 13:29For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
- Prov 11:24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
- Luke 3:11He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
- Job 31:16–17If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
- 2 Cor 9:7–8Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 14:16 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.