Devine Scripture

John 6:10

What does John 6:10 mean?

A plain-English look at John 6:10 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 6:10 means

Jesus commands the people to sit, and they do, about five thousand men, on abundant grass. His instruction brings order to potential chaos and signals confidence that provision is at hand. The mention of much grass suggests a season of freshness and calm under His direction. Seating the crowd turns spectators into recipients and reveals Jesus as a shepherd leading people to rest before He feeds them. The scale—five thousand men, not counting women and children—underscores the magnitude of the need and the wonder of what will follow. Organization here is not mere logistics; it is faith in action, preparing to receive from Him.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Jesus said, Let the people be seated. Now there was much grass in that place. And those seated on the grass were about five thousand.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

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,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

[And] 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.

Context

Following the presentation of the small meal, this verse marks Jesus’s decisive leadership. The disciples have no plan, but Jesus does. He transforms a scattered multitude into an orderly congregation ready for blessing. The next verse describes Jesus giving thanks and distributing food. This movement from command to provision forms the heart of the sign, which will become the basis for the crowd’s messianic expectations and Jesus’s later corrective teaching.

v.9There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many?

v.10This passage

v.11Jesus 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.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Mark 6:39

    And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.

  • Luke 9:14

    For they were about five thousand men. And he said unto his disciples, Make them sit down in companies, about fifty each.

  • Mark 8:6

    And he commandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.

  • Matthew 15:35

    And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground;

  • Matthew 14:18

    And he said, Bring them hither to me.

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