John 6:10
New International Version
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there).

New Living Translation
“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.)

English Standard Version
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.

Berean Standard Bible
“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.

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus said, "Make the men to recline." Now there was much grass in the place; therefore the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

King James Bible
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

New King James Version
Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

New American Standard Bible
Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

NASB 1995
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

NASB 1977
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Amplified Bible
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down [to eat].” Now [the ground] there was [covered with] an abundance of grass, so the men sat down, about 5,000 in number.

Christian Standard Bible
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down. The men numbered about 5,000.

American Standard Version
Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Contemporary English Version
The ground was covered with grass, and Jesus told his disciples to tell everyone to sit down. About 5,000 men were in the crowd.

English Revised Version
Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." The people had plenty of grass to sit on. (There were about 5,000 men in the crowd.)

Good News Translation
"Make the people sit down," Jesus told them. (There was a lot of grass there.) So all the people sat down; there were about five thousand men.

International Standard Version
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was plenty of grass in that area, so they sat down, numbering about 5,000 men.

Majority Standard Bible
“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.

NET Bible
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.

New Heart English Bible
Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. (Now there was much grass in the place.) So the men sat down in number about five thousand.

Weymouth New Testament
"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.

World English Bible
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Jesus said, “Make the men to sit down”; and there was much grass in the place, the men then sat down, in number, as it were, five thousand,

Berean Literal Bible
Jesus said, "Make the men to recline." Now there was much grass in the place; therefore the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jesus said, 'Make the men to sit down;' and there was much grass in the place, the men then sat down, in number, as it were, five thousand,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jesus said, Make the men recline. And there was much grass in the place. Then the men reclined, the number about five thousand.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Then Jesus said: Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Jesus said, “Have the men sit down to eat.” Now, there was much grass in that place. And so the men, in number about five thousand, sat down to eat.

New American Bible
Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

New Revised Standard Version
Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Jesus said to them, Make all the men sit down. There was much grass in that place. So the males sat down, five thousand in number.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
Yeshua said to them: “Have all the people be seated.” And there was much grass in that place and they were seated, the number of men being five thousand.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But Jesus said: Make die men recline. Now, there was much grass in the place. So the men reclined, in number about five thousand.

Godbey New Testament
And Jesus said, Make the people sit down. And there was much grass in the place. However the men sat down in number about five thousand.

Haweis New Testament
Then said Jesus, Make the men sit down. For there was plenty of grass on the spot. Therefore the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Mace New Testament
but 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.

Weymouth New Testament
"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.

Worrell New Testament
Jesus said, "Make the men recline." Now there was much grass in the place. The men, therefore, reclined, in number about five thousand.

Worsley New Testament
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down: (now there was much grass in the place:) so the men sat down in number about five thousand.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
9“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?” 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.…

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 6:39-40
Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. / So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Luke 9:14-15
(There were about five thousand men.) He told His disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” / They did so, and everyone was seated.

John 2:6-7
Now six stone water jars had been set there for the Jewish rites of purification. Each could hold from twenty to thirty gallons. / Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim.

John 21:9-13
When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread. / Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” / So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. ...

Matthew 15:35-36
And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. / 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 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.

1 Corinthians 11:24
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.”

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 16:4-5
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. / Then on the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on the other days.”

Numbers 11:8-9
The people walked around and gathered it, ground it on a handmill or crushed it in a mortar, then boiled it in a cooking pot or shaped it into cakes. It tasted like pastry baked with fine oil. / When the dew fell on the camp at night, the manna would fall with it.

1 Samuel 9:13
As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”

2 Samuel 6:19
Then he distributed to every man and woman among the multitude of Israel a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake. And all the people departed, each to his own home.


Treasury of Scripture

And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

Make.

Matthew 14:18,19
He said, Bring them hither to me…

Matthew 15:35,36
And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground…

Mark 6:39-41
And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass…

Now.

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Adult Covered Five Grass Ground Jesus Numbering Plenty Sat Seated Sit Thick Thousand
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.














Jesus said
The phrase "Jesus said" is a powerful reminder of the authority and divinity of Christ. In the Greek, "Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν" (Iēsous eipen) emphasizes the direct command from Jesus, highlighting His role as the Good Shepherd who guides His flock. This command is not merely a suggestion but an authoritative directive, reflecting His divine wisdom and foreknowledge of the miracle that is about to unfold.

Have the people sit down
The instruction to "Have the people sit down" is significant in its simplicity and order. The Greek word for "sit down" is "ἀναπίπτω" (anapiptō), which implies reclining or resting, often used in the context of a meal. This command sets the stage for the miraculous feeding, symbolizing a moment of preparation and expectation. It also reflects the orderly nature of God's provision, as seen throughout Scripture, where God provides abundantly for His people in an organized manner.

Now there was plenty of grass in that place
The mention of "plenty of grass" is not merely a geographical detail but carries deeper symbolic meaning. The Greek word "χόρτος" (chortos) for "grass" can also mean pasture, evoking imagery of Psalm 23, where the Lord makes His people lie down in green pastures. This setting underscores the theme of divine provision and rest, reminding us of God's care and abundance in the midst of need.

so the men sat down
The phrase "so the men sat down" indicates obedience to Jesus' command. The Greek word "ἀνέπεσαν" (anepesan) suggests a reclining position, typical of dining in ancient times, which further emphasizes the anticipation of a meal. This act of sitting down is an act of faith and trust in Jesus' provision, a physical manifestation of their readiness to receive what He is about to provide.

about five thousand of them
The mention of "about five thousand" highlights the magnitude of the miracle. In the historical context, counting only the men was customary, suggesting that the total number of people, including women and children, was significantly higher. This detail underscores the vastness of Jesus' provision and His ability to meet the needs of a large multitude, reflecting the boundless nature of God's grace and power. The number five thousand also echoes the Old Testament narratives of God's provision for Israel, drawing a parallel between Jesus' miracle and God's past faithfulness.

(10) Much grass.--This is an addition in this account. St. Mark, who also represents the impression of an eye-witness, tells us that the grass was green (John 6:39). We know from John 6:4 that it was at the time of the Passover--i.e., about our April, when the hill-country on the west of the lake would naturally be clothed with verdure.

So the men sat down.--The word (??????) means men as such, as distinct from women. (Comp. Note on John 1:51.) St. Matthew tells us there were five thousand men besides the women and children (John 14:21; see Note there).

Verse 10. - Jesus said (the omission of δὲ rather augments the vivid force of the statement), Make the people (ἀνθρώπους here. contrasted with the ἄνδρες of the next clause) recline. Now there was much grass in the place. As already said, this is in harmony with the note of time conveyed in ver. 4. The other evangelist (Mark 6:39) speaks of the people sitting down "upon the green grass" - a vivid touch this of an eyewitness; Matthew (Matthew 14:19) also speaks of the grass; and Mark and Luke add another rememberable feature which John omits. The men (ἄνδρες were distinguished from ἄνθρωποι, which last term may have included the "women and children" (Matthew 14:21), who in no great numbers probably formed, according to Eastern custom, a company by themselves). The men sat down (reclined), in number - the matter of the "number" is here put into the "accusative of closer definition" (Meyer) - about five thousand. Luke says, "in groups of fifty." Mark first declares that Jesus ordered them to sit down (συμπόσια συμπόσια) in parties, and describes the result as having the appearance of garden beds (πρασιαί πρασιαί), of fifty or of a hundred each. The πρασιά is area, forus (Gartenbett; Homer, "Od.," 7:127; 24:247). "Πρασιαί," says Theophylact, "are the different divisions in gardens, in which different herbs are often planted." The image of the garden plots, with different divisions between them, forced itself on the eyewitness (see Trench, "Miracles," p. 205).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
“Have
Ποιήσατε (Poiēsate)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

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.

[people]
ἀνθρώπους (anthrōpous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

sit down,”
ἀναπεσεῖν (anapesein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 377: From ana and pipto; to fall back, i.e. Lie down, lean back.

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

said.
Εἶπεν (Eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

Now
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

there was
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

plenty of
πολὺς (polys)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

grass
χόρτος (chortos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5528: Grass, herbage, growing grain, hay. Apparently a primary word; a 'court' or 'garden', i.e. herbage or vegetation.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

[that]
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

place,
τόπῳ (topō)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5117: Apparently a primary word; a spot, i.e. Location; figuratively, condition, opportunity; specially, a scabbard.

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

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative 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.

men
ἄνδρες (andres)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 435: A male human being; a man, husband. A primary word; a man.

sat down,
ἀνέπεσαν (anepesan)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 377: From ana and pipto; to fall back, i.e. Lie down, lean back.

about
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

five thousand
πεντακισχίλιοι (pentakischilioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 4000: Five thousand. From pentakis and chilioi; five times a thousand.

[of them].
ἀριθμὸν (arithmon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 706: A number, total. From airo; a number.


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