John 6:11
New International Version
Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

New Living Translation
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.

English Standard Version
Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.

Berean Literal Bible
And Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wished.

King James Bible
And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

New King James Version
And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus then took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted.

NASB 1995
Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.

NASB 1977
Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted.

Amplified Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to those who were seated; the same also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.

American Standard Version
Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would.

Contemporary English Version
Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat.

English Revised Version
Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the people who were sitting there. He did the same thing with the fish. All the people ate as much as they wanted.

Good News Translation
Jesus took the bread, gave thanks to God, and distributed it to the people who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, and they all had as much as they wanted.

International Standard Version
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated. He also distributed as much fish as they wanted.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were seated?and the fish?as much as they wanted.

NET Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed the bread to those who were seated. He then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted.

New Heart English Bible
Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down; likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would.

Weymouth New Testament
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.

World English Bible
Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down, likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks He distributed [them] to the disciples, and the disciples to those reclining, in like manner, also of the little fishes as much as they wished.

Berean Literal Bible
And Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wished.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those reclining, in like manner, also of the little fishes as much as they wished.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, distributed to his disciples, and the disciples to the reclining; and likewise of the small fishes, as many as they wished.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Jesus took the loaves: and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down. In like manner also of the fishes, as much as they would.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, Jesus took the bread, and when he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting down to eat; similarly also, from the fish, as much as they wanted.

New American Bible
Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.

New Revised Standard Version
Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Jesus took the bread, and blessed it, and distributed it to those who were sitting down; likewise the fish also, as much as they wanted.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yeshua took the bread and blessed and distributed to them who were seated, and thus also from the fish, as much as they wanted.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks, distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who had reclined; and in like manner of the fishes, as much as they wished.

Godbey New Testament
And Jesus took the bread; and gave thanks, and gave it to the disciples, and the disciples to the people sitting down; and likewise also of the fishes so much as they wished.

Haweis New Testament
And Jesus took the loaves; and giving thanks, gave to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sat down; and in the same manner of the fishes, as much as they chose.

Mace New Testament
then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed to them that were sate down; and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would.

Weymouth New Testament
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.

Worrell New Testament
Jesus, therefore, took the loaves; and, having given thanks, He distributed to those reclining; and likewise of the fishes as much as they wished.

Worsley New Testament
And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were sat down; and of the fishes likewise, as much as they would take.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
10“Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. 12And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”…

Cross References
Matthew 14:19
And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Mark 6:41
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.

Luke 9:16
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.

Matthew 15:36
Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.

Mark 8:6
And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd.

Luke 22:19
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-24
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, / and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

Matthew 26:26
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”

Mark 14:22
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.”

Luke 24:30
While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.

Acts 27:35
After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

2 Kings 4:42-44
Now 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. / But his servant asked, “How am I to set twenty loaves before a hundred men?” “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha, “for this is what the LORD says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.’” / So he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

Exodus 16:4
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test whether or not they will follow My instructions.

Exodus 16:15
When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. So Moses told them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.

Exodus 16:32
Moses said, “This is what the LORD has commanded: ‘Keep an omer of manna for the generations to come, so that they may see the bread I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”


Treasury of Scripture

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

when.

John 6:23
(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

1 Samuel 9:13
As soon as ye be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

Luke 24:30
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

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Cakes Desired Disciples Distributed Fish Fishes Ground Jesus Loaves Manner Need Praise Reclining Resting Seated Sitting Small Thanks Wanted Way
John 6
1. Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes.
15. Thereupon the people would have made him king;
16. but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples;
26. reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word;
32. declares himself to be the bread of life to believers.
66. Many disciples depart from him.
68. Peter confesses him.
70. Judas is a devil.














Then Jesus took the loaves
The act of Jesus taking the loaves signifies His authority and readiness to perform a miracle. The Greek word for "took" is "ἔλαβεν" (elaben), which implies an intentional action. This moment is pivotal, as it sets the stage for the miraculous feeding. Historically, bread was a staple in the diet of the people, symbolizing sustenance and life. Jesus, the Bread of Life, uses this common element to reveal His divine provision.

gave thanks
The Greek term "εὐχαριστήσας" (eucharistēsas) is used here, which is the root of the word "Eucharist." This act of giving thanks is not merely a ritual but a profound acknowledgment of God's providence. In Jewish tradition, blessings over food were customary, yet Jesus' thanksgiving is a model of gratitude and recognition of God's sovereignty. It reminds believers of the importance of gratitude in their daily lives.

and distributed to those who were seated
The distribution to those seated reflects order and abundance. The Greek word "διέδωκεν" (diedōken) indicates a systematic and generous giving. This scene echoes the imagery of a shepherd providing for his flock, emphasizing Jesus' role as the Good Shepherd. The seating arrangement suggests preparation and expectation, highlighting the communal aspect of this miracle.

as much as they wanted
This phrase underscores the abundance of Jesus' provision. The Greek "ὅσον ἤθελον" (hoson ēthelon) suggests that the people were not just given enough to survive but were fully satisfied. This abundance is a testament to God's generosity and the fulfillment of spiritual and physical needs. It serves as a reminder that in Christ, there is no lack.

He did the same with the fish
Repeating the miracle with the fish emphasizes the completeness of Jesus' provision. Fish, like bread, was a common food, and its multiplication further demonstrates Jesus' mastery over creation. The parallel action with the fish reinforces the message of divine sufficiency and care. Historically, fish were also a symbol of early Christianity, representing believers and the spread of the Gospel.

(11) The better MSS. omit "to the disciples, and the disciples to." It is included in the sense, but is not here expressed in word.

Verse 11. - Jesus then took the loaves; and having given thanks (εὐχαριστήσας is used by John, whereas Mark speaks of his looking up to heaven and blessing the loaves, uttering words of praise. The Eucharistial expression corresponds with the function of the head of a household at the Paschal feast, and is another hint of relation between the Passover and the discourse which here follows) he distributed to them who were set down. This is not incompatible with the language of the synoptists, that he gave to the disciples, they to the multitude, an undoubted allegory of the method in which all his greatest gifts have been diffused over the world; but John calls special attention to the part, the supreme part, taken in this proceeding by the Lord himself. Advantage has been taken of this to show that the narrative is a glorification of the Eucharistial meal, at which Jesus gave to his disciples the bread which he brake. Likewise also of the fishes (ὀψαρίων) as much as they wished. This is, doubtless, the place or moment when the mighty miracle occurred.

"'Twas seed-time when he blessed the bread,
Twas harvest when he brake."
This pretty couplet, with Augmstine's and Olshausen's remarks that the processes of nature were hastened by the great organ of the Divine Creator, does not throw any light upon the phenomenon. It makes it more inexplicable, for ground corn and baked barley loaves afford no parallel with living seeds, and dead and salted fish create even greater difficulties. "Frugality exaggerated into a miracle" (Renan) is far more thinkable, though it leaves the sequel unexplained. We must either reject the narrative, notwithstanding its wonderful confirmation by two or three separate eyewitnesses, or we must accept it. If we do the latter, we see in this (and the following) miracle an assertion that the creative will of Christ is the sole cause of the additional food that was provided for the sustenance of this multitude. The Son of God added to the sum of things, to the quantity of matter, or called together from surrounding air the elements needed for the purpose, just as in hushing the storm he met force by that will of his which is the ultimate source and ground of all force. He spake in the power of Heaven, and it was done. He gave thanks, and he distributed.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

Jesus
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

took
Ἔλαβεν (Elaben)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2983: (a) I receive, get, (b) I take, lay hold of.

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

loaves
ἄρτους (artous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 740: Bread, a loaf, food. From airo; bread or a loaf.

and
ὁμοίως (homoiōs)
Adverb
Strong's 3668: In like manner, similarly, in the same way, equally. Adverb from homoios; similarly.

the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

fish,
ὀψαρίων (opsariōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3795: A little fish. Neuter of a presumed derivative of the base of optos; a relish to other food, i.e., fish.

gave thanks,
εὐχαριστήσας (eucharistēsas)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2168: From eucharistos; to be grateful, i.e. to express gratitude; specially, to say grace at a meal.

[and] distributed
διέδωκεν (diedōken)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1239: From dia and didomi; to give throughout a crowd, i.e. Deal out; also to deliver over.

to those
τοῖς (tois)
Article - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

who were seated
ἀνακειμένοις (anakeimenois)
Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Plural
Strong's 345: To recline, especially at a dinner-table. From ana and keimai; to recline.

as much as
ὅσον (hoson)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3745: How much, how great, how many, as great as, as much. By reduplication from hos; as As.

they wanted.
ἤθελον (ēthelon)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.


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NT Gospels: John 6:11 Jesus took the loaves (Jhn Jo Jn)
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