Mark 6:38
◄  Mark 6:38  ►
New International Version (©2011)
"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish."

New Living Translation (©2007)
"How much bread do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out." They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish."

English Standard Version (©2001)
And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.”

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
And He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look!" And when they found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look." When they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

International Standard Version (©2012)
He asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have? Go and see." They found out and told him, "Five loaves and two fish."

NET Bible (©2006)
He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish."

Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010)
He said to them, “Go see how many loaves you have here.” When they looked, they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish.”

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." When they found out, they told him, "Five loaves of bread and two fish."

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
He said unto them, How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they said, Five, and two fishes.

American King James Version
He said to them, How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

American Standard Version
And he saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and'see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he saith to them: How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they say: Five, and two fishes

Darby Bible Translation
And he says to them, How many loaves have ye? Go and see. And when they knew they say, Five, and two fishes.

English Revised Version
And he saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Webster's Bible Translation
He saith to them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Weymouth New Testament
"How many loaves have you?" He inquired; "go and see." So they found out, and said, "Five; and a couple of fish."

World English Bible
He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go see." When they knew, they said, "Five, and two fish."

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith to them, 'How many loaves have ye? go and see;' and having known, they say, 'Five, and two fishes.'

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:30-44 Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 38. - Five (loaves), and two fishes. St. John tells us (John 6:9) that the loaves were of barley, and that the fishes were small (ὀψάρια); St. Mark says δύο ἰχθύας. Barley bread was considered an inferior and homely kind of food, very inferior to bread made of wheat flour. The comparative value of the two kinds of bread is given in Revelation 6:6. "A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny." The psalmist alludes to the greater excellence of wheat flour: "He would have fed them also with the finest wheat flour" (Psalm 81:16).

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he saith unto them, how many loaves have ye?.... This he said, not as ignorant, but as willing to try their faith yet more, and that the after miracle might be more manifest and illustrious:

go and see; meaning, either that they should examine their own store, if they had any; or rather go and see what was to be had upon the spot, among the company, for money;

and when they knew, they say five loaves and two fishes: when they had made inquiry what provisions there were, and the most that could be got at any rate, they tell him, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, particularly, that there was a boy among the multitude that had five barley loaves, and two small fishes; and, at the same time, suggests, that they were nothing for so great a company.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

38. He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes—John is more precise and full: "One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto Him, There is a lad here which hath five barley loaves and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" (Joh 6:8, 9). Probably this was the whole stock of provisions then at the command of the disciples—no more than enough for one meal to them—and entrusted for the time to this lad. "He said, Bring them hither to me" (Mt 14:18).

Mark 6:38 Parallel Commentaries

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The Feeding of the Five Thousand
…37He answered and said to them, Give you them to eat. And they say to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? 38He said to them, How many loaves have you? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 39And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies on the green grass. …

Matthew 14:17 "We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish," they answered.
Mark 6:37 But he answered, "You give them something to eat." They said to him, "That would take more than half a year's wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"
Mark 6:39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.