Devine Scripture

Mark 6:38

What does Mark 6:38 mean?

A plain-English look at Mark 6:38 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Mark 6:38 means

Mark 6:38 shows the disciples assessing their meager resources: five loaves and two fishes—and raising the cost of buying enough bread. Their calculation highlights human limitation and inability to meet the need. By stating the small quantity, the disciples confess dependence upon something beyond themselves. This honesty sets the stage for Jesus’ miracle. The verse reveals both practical realism and lack of expectant faith: they cannot imagine how so little could feed thousands, yet their transparency allows Jesus to use what they have for God’s greater purpose.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

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

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

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

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he said to them, How much bread have you? go and see. And when they had seen, they said, Five cakes of bread and two fishes.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

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

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

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

Context

This verse follows Jesus’ charge to feed the people (verse 37) and reveals the disciples’ inventory and inability. The small number of loaves and fishes will be transformed into abundant provision. The scene emphasizes contrast between human scarcity and divine abundance, preparing for the orderly arrangement (verses 39–40), the blessing and breaking in verse 41, and the miraculous feeding that follows.

v.37But 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?

v.38This passage

v.39And he commanded them that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.

Cross references

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

  • Mark 8:5

    And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

  • John 6:9

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

  • Matthew 15:34

    And Jesus said unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few small fishes.

  • Matthew 14:17

    And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

  • Luke 9:13

    But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more than five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy food for all this people.

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