006:001 After this Jesus went away across the Lake of Galilee (that is,
the Lake of Tiberias).
006:002 A vast multitude followed Him, because they witnessed the miracles
on the sick which He was constantly performing.
006:003 Then Jesus went up the hill, and sat there with His disciples.
006:004 The Jewish Festival, the Passover, was at hand.
006:005 And when He looked round and saw an immense crowd coming
towards Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread
for all these people to eat?"
006:006 He said this to put Philip to the test, for He Himself knew
what He was going to do.
006:007 "Seven pounds' worth of bread," replied Philip, "is not enough
for them all to get even a scanty meal."
006:008 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother,
said to Him,
006:009 "There is a boy here with five barley loaves and a couple of fish:
but what is that among so many?"
006:010 "Make the people sit down," said Jesus. The ground was
covered with thick grass; so they sat down, the adult men
numbering about 5,000.
006:011 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks He
distributed them to those who were resting on the ground;
and also the fish in like manner--as much as they desired.
006:012 When all were fully satisfied, He said to His disciples,
"Gather up the broken portions that remain over, so that
nothing be lost."
006:013 Accordingly they gathered them up; and with the fragments
of the five barley loaves--the broken portions that remained
over after they had done eating--they filled twelve baskets.
006:014 Thereupon the people, having seen the miracle He had performed,
said, "This is indeed the Prophet who was to come into the world."
006:015 Perceiving, however, that they were about to come and carry
Him off by force to make Him a king, Jesus withdrew again up
the hill alone by Himself.
006:016 When evening came on, His disciples went down to the Lake.
006:017 There they got on board a boat, and pushed off to cross
the Lake to Capernaum. By this time it had become dark,
and Jesus had not yet joined them.
006:018 The Lake also was getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing.
006:019 When, however, they had rowed three or four miles, they saw
Jesus walking on the water and coming near the boat.
006:020 They were terrified; but He called to them. "It is I," He said,
"do not be afraid."
006:021 Then they were willing to take Him on board; and in a moment
the boat reached the shore at the point to which they were going.
006:022 Next morning the crowd who were still standing about on
the other side of the Lake found that there had been but one
small boat there, and they had seen that Jesus did not go
on board with His disciples, but that His disciples went
away without Him.
006:023 Yet a number of small boats came from Tiberias to the neighbourhood
of the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord
had given thanks.
006:024 When however the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples
were there, they themselves also took boats and came to Capernaum
to look for Jesus.
006:025 So when they had crossed the Lake and had found Him,
they asked Him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"
006:026 "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that you
are searching for me not because you have seen miracles,
but because you ate the loaves and had a hearty meal.
006:027 Bestow your pains not on the food which perishes,
but on the food that remains unto the Life of the Ages--
that food which will be the Son of Man's gift to you;
for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."
006:028 "What are we to do," they asked, "in order to carry out the things
that God requires?"
006:029 "This," replied Jesus, "is above all the thing that God requires--
that you should be believers in Him whom He has sent."
006:030 "What miracle then," they asked, "do you perform for us to see
and become believers in you? What do you *do*?
006:031 Our forefathers ate the manna in the Desert, as it is written,
`He gave them bread out of Heaven to eat'."
006:032 "In most solemn truth I tell you," replied Jesus, "that Moses
did not give you the bread out of Heaven, but my Father
is giving you the bread--the true bread--out of Heaven.
006:033 For God's bread is that which comes down out of Heaven and gives
Life to the world."