The Feeding of the Five Thousand
(Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17)

1At length Jesus passed over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias; 2where a great multitude followed him, invited by the miraculous cures which they saw him perform. 3Jesus therefore went up a mountain, where he sat down with his disciples. 4for it was just before the passover, which is a feast of the Jews. 5Jesus then lifting up his eyes, and seeing a great company coming to him, said to Philip, where can we buy bread to feed this people? 6(this he said to prove Philip: for he himself knew what he had to do.) 7Philip answered him, two hundred penny-worth of bread is not sufficient to furnish every one of them a little. 8one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9there is a lad here, who hath five barley-loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10but Jesus said, make the men sit down, and as there was much grass in the place, they sat down to the number of about five thousand. 11then 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. 12when they were filled, he said to his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. 13they gathered them therefore, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley-loaves, which remained after they all had been eating. 14The people, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, cry'd out, this is of a truth that prophet who was to come into the world.

15but Jesus perceiving they designed to come and take him by force to make him a king, retired again upon a mountain all alone.

Jesus Walks on Water
(Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52)

16When even was come, his disciples went to the sea, and going on board a ship, 17they cross'd the sea to Capernaum: now when it was dark, Jesus was not come to them: 18but the sea ran high, by reason of the wind that blew hard. 19so when they had rowed about five and twenty, or thirty furlongs, seeing Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh to the ship, they were frightned. 20but he said to them, it is I, be not afraid. 21then they readily received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they were bound.

Jesus the Bread of Life

22The day following, the people who stay'd on the other side of the sea, perceiving that there had been only that single vessel in which his disciples were embark'd, that Jesus did not embark with his disciples, but that his disciples were gone away alone: (however, 23there came other barks from Tiberias, nigh the place where they had eaten bread, after the Lord had given thanks.) 24the people likewise seeing that Jesus was not in those barks, nor his disciples, went on board them, and cross'd to Capernaum in quest of Jesus. 25And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, master, when did you arrive here?

26Jesus answered them, I declare unto you, you seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye had loaves to eat, and were filled. 27work not for the food which perisheth, but for that which endureth unto everlasting life, and which the son of man shall give unto you, for to him it is that the father, that is God, has given his credentials. 28then said they to him, what shall we do, that our works may he agreeable to God? 29Jesus answered them, the work which God requires is to believe on him whom he hath sent. 30but said they, what miracle then will you let us see to make us believe you? what strange work will you perform? 31our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, "he gave them bread from heaven to eat." 32Jesus answer'd, I assure you, Moses did not give you the celestial bread; but my father gives you the true celestial bread. 33for he who is descended from heaven, and gives life to the world, is the bread that is truely divine. 34then said they, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35Jesus answer'd, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me, shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me, shall never thirst. 36but I have already told you, that tho' you have seen me, you do not believe. 37all those whom my father gives me, shall come to me; and I will not reject any that come to me. 38for I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. 39and the will of him who sent me is this, that I should not lose any one of those he has given me, but should raise them again at the last day: this, 40I say, is the will of him that sent me, that every one who observes the son, and believeth on him, should have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41The Jews then murmured against him, for having said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42is not this, said they, Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how comes he then to say, I came down from heaven? 43Jesus therefore replied, murmur not among your selves.

44no man can come to me, except the father who hath sent me, conduct him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45it is written in the prophets, "they shall be all taught of God." every man therefore that hath heard the father, and been instructed by him, cometh unto me. 46not that any man hath seen the father, except him who is come from God, he hath seen the father. 47I declare unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life, 49your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and there they died. 50but this is the bread which came down from heaven, that he who eats thereof should not die. 51I am the living bread, that is come down from heaven: whosoever shall eat of this bread, shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52Upon this the Jews disputed among themselves, saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat? 53but Jesus answer'd, I assure you, except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, ye will have no life in you. 54he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55for my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56he that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 57as the father who is the source of life hath sent me, and I live by the father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 58this is that bread which came down from heaven: very different from that manna, which your fathers did eat but died nevertheless: he that eateth of this bread, shall live for ever.

Many Disciples Turn Back
(Matthew 8:18–22; Luke 9:57–62; Luke 14:25–33)

59These things said Jesus in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60when many of his disciples, who heard him, said, this is strange doctrine, who can hear it? 61Jesus perceiving in himself, that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, doth this offend you? 62what if you should see the son of man ascend up where he was before? 63it is the action of the mind that vivifies, that of the body profits nothing: the words that I have delivered to you, spiritually understood, give life. 64but there are some of you who do not believe. (for Jesus knew from the beginning, who they were that did not believe, and who should betray him.) 65and he said, therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my father.

66From that time many of his disciples withdrew, and associated no longer with him.

Peter’s Confession of Faith
(Matthew 16:13–20; Mark 8:27–30; Luke 9:18–20)

67upon which Jesus said to the twelve, will not ye likewise go away? 68but Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? you have the words of eternal life. 69and we have believed and we have acknowledged that you are the Christ, the son of God. 70Jesus answered them, have I not chosen you all twelve, and yet one of you is an avowed enemy? 71meaning Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that would betray him, altho' he was one of the twelve.