John 6:7
What does John 6:7 mean?
A plain-English look at John 6:7 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 6:7 means
Philip answers with a practical calculation: even a large sum would barely allow everyone a taste. His response is honest and reasonable, but it is confined to human ability. John records this to show the inadequacy of purely earthly thinking when facing kingdom tasks. Philip measures the need against the treasury; Jesus will measure it against His Father’s abundance. This tension is instructive: the need is truly vast, and the disciples are truly unable to meet it. Faith does not deny the numbers; it brings them to Jesus. The scene exposes the poverty of self-sufficiency and prepares for a miracle born from divine compassion.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Philip made answer, Bread to the value of two hundred pence would not be enough even to give everyone a little.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Philip answered him, `Two hundred denaries' worth of loaves are not sufficient to them, that each of them may receive some little;'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Philip answered him: Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them that every one may take a little.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Philip answered him, Loaves for two hundred denarii are not sufficient for them, that each may have some little [portion].
Context
Philip’s reply follows Jesus’s probing question and precedes Andrew’s small report. It provides the human assessment that heightens the impossibility—thousands to feed, insufficient funds, limited options. The narrative intentionally contrasts calculation with trust. From here, another disciple will point out a tiny resource, and Jesus will command the people to sit, moving decisively toward the sign that answers both the crowd’s hunger and the disciples’ doubt.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Numbers 11:21
And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
- Mark 6:37
But he answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred shillings’ worth of bread, and give them to eat?
- 2 Kings 4:43
And his servant said, What, should I set this before a hundred men? But he said, Give the people, that they may eat; for thus saith Jehovah, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.
- John 12:5
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor?
- Matthew 18:28
But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.
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