Mark 6:38

38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

Mark 6:38 in Other Translations

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

38 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."

38 “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.”

38 But he was quite serious. "How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory." That didn't take long. "Five," they said, "plus two fish."

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

38 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."

38 And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look." When they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

38 "How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five loaves and two fish."

Mark 6:38 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 6:38

And he saith unto them, how many loaves have ye?
&c.] 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.

Mark 6:38 In-Context

36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

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?”

38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass.

40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

Cross References

• 1. Matthew 15:34; Mark 8:5