15 Evening came and the disciples approached Jesus and said: »This place is desolate. Send the people away so they may go to the villages and buy themselves food.«

16 Jesus told them: »They have no need to go away: you feed them.«

17 They remarked: »We have only five loaves, and two fishes.«

18 »Bring them to me,« Jesus replied.

19 He commanded the crowd to sit down on the grass. Then he prayed. He gave the five loaves and two fishes to the disciples to distribute to the crowd.

20 And they all had plenty to eat. In fact they had twelve baskets full of food left over.

21 About five thousand men, plus women and children ate.