Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus, perceiving it, said, “Why do you reason among yourselves, you of little faith, ‘because you have brought no bread?’
- KJV Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
- NKJV But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?
- NASB But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread?
- NLT Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread?
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 perceives their reasoning and calls them 'you of little faith.' It matters because their worry over bread betrays a failure to trust his provision.
Overview
Jesus knows their thoughts and gently rebukes their 'little faith.' Their anxiety over bread overlooks the One who had just fed thousands. The rebuke addresses not their intellect only but their failure to trust. It calls them—and all believers—to greater confidence in Christ's care.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Matt 6:30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
- Matt 8:26“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm.
- Matt 14:31Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
- Mark 16:14Later, as they were eating, Jesus appeared to the Eleven and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
- Heb 4:13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- John 2:24–25But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all.
- Rev 2:23Then I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the One who searches minds and hearts, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
- John 16:30Now we understand that You know all things and that You have no need for anyone to question You. Because of this, we believe that You came from God.”
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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 16:8 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
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