John 6:5 kjv
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
John 6:5 nkjv
Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"
John 6:5 niv
When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"
John 6:5 esv
Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"
John 6:5 nlt
Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, "Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?"
John 6 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 6:5 | Jesus looking up saw a great multitude come unto him, saith Philip... | Jesus’ compassion observed |
| Matt 14:13 | When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by a ship into a desert place alone. | Jesus seeks a quiet place |
| Mark 6:31 | And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest... | Jesus' desire for rest |
| Luke 9:11 | And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them... | Jesus receiving the people |
| John 1:44 | Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. | Philip’s origin |
| John 6:6 | And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. | Jesus’ purpose in the question |
| Exod 16:1 | And they set forward from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin... | Israelites in the wilderness |
| Num 11:13 | Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. | Moses’ complaint |
| 1 Kings 18:43 | And said to his servant, Look now toward the sea. And he looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. | Elijah and the small cloud |
| 2 Kings 4:43 | And one said, What, shall I set this before an hundred men? but he said, Give, and let them eat. | Elisha and barley loaves |
| Ps 78:19 | Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? | God’s provision questioned |
| Ps 78:20 | Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and streams overflowed... | God providing water |
| Isa 55:1 | Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money... | Invitation to partake |
| Matt 15:33 | But the disciples said unto him, From whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a company? | Disciples’ concern |
| Mark 6:35 | And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and the time is now past. | Time concerns of disciples |
| Luke 9:12 | And when the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said unto him, Send the multitude away... | Request to dismiss crowd |
| John 6:7 | Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. | Philip’s calculation |
| John 6:9 | There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? | Andrew’s discovery |
| Acts 10:38 | How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good... | Jesus’ ministry of good |
| 1 Cor 10:4 | And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them... | Spiritual provision in OT |
John 6 verses
John 6 5 Meaning
Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him. He asked Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" This verse introduces the miraculous feeding of the five thousand, highlighting Jesus' compassion for the hungry masses and his strategic question to Philip.
John 6 5 Context
This event occurs in chapter 6 of John, immediately following Jesus' healing of a man at the pool of Bethesda and His discourse on His authority. The narrative shifts to Jesus crossing the Sea of Galilee into a desert area. A large crowd follows Him, seeking Him out of a desire for miraculous signs, especially after the feeding of the five thousand which becomes a significant event demonstrating His power and divine provision. The Passover festival is also approaching, adding to the large gatherings in the region.
John 6 5 Word Analysis
- Jesus (Ἰησοῦς, Iēsoûs): The name of the Son of God, the Messiah. His identity as divine is central to understanding His actions and authority.
- looking up (ἀναβλέψας, anablépsas): This participle suggests Jesus lifting His gaze, likely to survey the magnitude of the crowd. It indicates awareness and consideration.
- saw (εἶδεν, eiden): Aorist tense, indicating a completed action of seeing. Jesus visually apprehended the entire crowd.
- a great multitude (πλῆθος πολὺ, plêthos polú): 'Pletho' refers to a large number or crowd. 'Polu' intensifies this, emphasizing the significant size of the gathering, numbering into the thousands.
- coming toward him (ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτόν, erchomenon pros auton): Describes the movement of the crowd directly towards Jesus, indicating their purpose and destination.
- He said (λέγει, legei): Present tense, indicating Jesus speaks at that moment, engaging with His disciples.
- to Philip (τῷ Φιλίππῳ, tōi Phillippōi): Specifically addresses Philip, one of His twelve disciples. This personal address suggests a deliberate choice to involve Philip in this scenario. Philip's background as a Galilean from Bethsaida is relevant.
- Where (Ποῦ, Pou): A direct question inquiring about a location or source for obtaining food.
- shall we buy (ἀγοράσωμεν, agorasōmen): The aorist subjunctive of 'agorazo', meaning to purchase in the market. It implies seeking a solution through practical means, albeit on a large scale.
- bread (ἄρτους, artous): Refers to bread, a staple food, symbolizing essential sustenance.
- for these people (τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις, toīs anthrōpois toutois): Denotes the multitude present.
- to eat (φαγεῖν, phagein): The infinitive of 'phago', to eat. It states the ultimate purpose for the bread – to satisfy hunger.
Words-Group Analysis
- "looking up and saw a great multitude coming toward him": This phrase vividly depicts Jesus’ awareness of the growing crowd. It's not an accidental encounter but a recognized situation.
- "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?": This is a crucial dialogic element. Jesus asks a practical, seemingly insurmountable logistical question, directing it specifically to Philip, setting the stage for a demonstration of divine provision beyond human capability.
John 6 5 Bonus Section
This event is often referred to as the "feeding of the five thousand," a significant miracle recorded in all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15). The choice to highlight Philip suggests Jesus’ intention to involve him in the miracle, perhaps as a demonstration of faith and reliance on God’s power in the face of impossibility. This miracle serves as a precursor to Jesus’ discourse on Himself as the Bread of Life, where He links physical bread to spiritual nourishment. The disciples' initial struggle to find solutions, like the 200 denarii calculation by Philip, emphasizes the inadequacy of human resources compared to divine omnipotence.
John 6 5 Commentary
Jesus, upon observing the vast number of people who had followed Him, initiated a dialogue with Philip, one of His disciples. The question, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?", was not asked out of genuine ignorance of how to solve the problem, but rather to test Philip and, through him, reveal the disciples' understanding of Jesus' power and the immense scale of the need. It’s a setup for a miracle that would powerfully demonstrate Jesus’ messianic authority as the provider of life’s sustenance, echoing Old Testament provision in the wilderness.