Mark 6:44 kjv
And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
Mark 6:44 nkjv
Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.
Mark 6:44 niv
The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Mark 6:44 esv
And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Mark 6:44 nlt
A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed.
Mark 6 44 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 14:21 | And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. | Parallel account; indicates larger total. |
| Lk 9:14 | (For there were about five thousand men.) | Parallel account; notes men only. |
| Jn 6:10 | (Now there was much grass in the place.) So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. | Parallel account; focuses on the men. |
| Mk 8:9 | And those who ate were about four thousand; and he sent them away. | Reference to a second mass feeding by Jesus. |
| Gen 6:7 | "I will blot out man whom I have created...both man and beast..." | Counting/identifying "man" (male). |
| Judg 8:10 | ...fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the East; for there had fallen one hundred and twenty thousand men... | Use of "men" for countable males in army. |
| Exod 16:15 | And when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat." | Manna as divine provision in the wilderness. |
| Deut 8:3 | So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna... | God's provision and teaching in wilderness. |
| Psa 78:19 | Yes, they spoke against God; They said, "Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?" | Questions about God's provision answered. |
| Isa 55:1 | "Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price." | God's free and abundant provision. |
| Jer 31:25 | "For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." | God's ability to satisfy and refresh. |
| Eze 34:27 | Then the trees of the field will yield their fruit, and the earth will yield her increase. | God's blessing bringing fruitfulness. |
| Joel 2:24 | The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. | Prophecy of abundance and provision. |
| Matt 15:37-38 | Then they all ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets full of the fragments...Now those who ate were four thousand men, besides women and children. | Second feeding of 4000; similar count method. |
| Mk 6:52 | For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. | Disciples' limited understanding of the miracle. |
| Jn 6:27 | "Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life..." | Transition from physical to spiritual food. |
| Jn 6:35 | And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger..." | Jesus identifies as the true source of life. |
| Jn 6:48-51 | "I am the bread of life... If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." | Jesus as the ultimate spiritual sustenance. |
| 1 Cor 10:3 | and all ate the same spiritual food, | Christ as the spiritual sustenance for Israel. |
| Eph 3:20 | Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think... | God's unlimited power and abundance. |
| Heb 13:8 | Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. | Consistency of Christ's power and nature. |
| Rev 7:16 | They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat... | Future divine provision and satisfaction. |
Mark 6 verses
Mark 6 44 Meaning
Mark 6:44 succinctly states the precise number of men who ate the miraculously multiplied loaves: five thousand. This verse concludes the immediate account of Jesus feeding the five thousand, emphasizing the vast scale of the miracle and the literal, countable recipients of His divine provision. It highlights Jesus' power to supernaturally supply physical needs for a multitude, foreshadowing His identity as the spiritual "Bread of Life."
Mark 6 44 Context
Mark 6:44 is the concluding statement to the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand. Immediately prior, Jesus, seeing the large crowd like "sheep without a shepherd" (Mk 6:34), had compassion on them and began to teach. As evening approached, the disciples suggested sending the crowds away to buy food. Jesus challenged them to feed the people themselves, despite having only five loaves and two fish. This led to Jesus blessing the food, breaking it, and the disciples distributing it. The verse confirms the extraordinary outcome, setting the stage for the disciples' subsequent encounter with Jesus walking on water, during which their limited understanding of this miracle becomes evident (Mk 6:52). Historically and culturally, the wilderness setting evokes the Israelites' experience with manna in the desert, framing Jesus as a new Moses figure, demonstrating divine power and provision far exceeding what had been known.
Mark 6 44 Word analysis
- And (Καὶ - Kai): A simple conjunction connecting this outcome directly to the preceding actions of Jesus distributing the food. It signifies a natural progression within the narrative.
- those who ate (οἱ φαγόντες - hoi phagontes): This phrase highlights the actual beneficiaries and participants of the miracle. The participle "phagontes" (from phagō, "to eat") emphasizes their direct action of consuming the loaves, underscoring the reality and tangibility of the provision.
- the loaves (τοὺς ἄρτους - tous artous): The definite article "the" indicates specific loaves – the initial five barley loaves (Jn 6:9) that were multiplied. Artos is the common Greek word for bread or loaf, a staple food, signifying basic sustenance. In this context, it takes on profound significance as the ordinary made extraordinary by divine power.
- were (ἦσαν - ēsan): A simple verb indicating a state of being in the past, directly stating the fact of the number.
- five thousand (πεντακισχίλιοι - pentakischilioi): A very specific and large number. This precise count emphasizes the sheer magnitude of the miracle. It defies natural explanation and firmly places the event in the realm of the supernatural, confirming Jesus' divine power to create abundance from scarcity.
- men (ἄνδρες - andres): This is a critical detail. The Greek word andres specifically refers to adult males, not a general term for people (anthrōpoi). This particularity, especially when compared with Matthew's account (Mt 14:21) which states "besides women and children," implies that the total number of people fed was significantly greater than 5,000. It likely reflects how large gatherings were often enumerated in that society for purposes such as census or military counts. Its inclusion here underlines the verifiable scale of the miracle to contemporary observers and strengthens its miraculous character.
Mark 6 44 Bonus section
- The Hidden Multitude: The explicit mention of "men" suggests the presence of women and children, making the true number fed significantly higher. This silent inclusion deepens the impact of Jesus' provision, showing He cares for all.
- Miracle for Disciples: While the miracle demonstrated Jesus' power to the crowds, it was also a critical, yet largely misunderstood, lesson for the disciples about Jesus' identity and their role in His kingdom. Mark 6:52 points to their hard hearts and lack of understanding, indicating they had yet to grasp the full significance of this extraordinary provision.
- Old Testament Echoes: The miracle resonates strongly with Old Testament accounts of God's provision in the wilderness, particularly the giving of manna to Israel (Exo 16, Psa 78). This positions Jesus as fulfilling ancient prophecies and demonstrating God's consistent character of care for His people.
Mark 6 44 Commentary
Mark 6:44 delivers a stark numerical summary of Jesus' first large-scale miraculous feeding. The specific mention of "five thousand men" confirms the monumental scope of the miracle. This precise count is not merely an incidental detail but serves several crucial purposes within Mark's narrative. It establishes the indisputable, measurable reality of the divine provision, testifying to Jesus' authority over creation and His boundless compassion. By specifying "men," Mark implies an even greater number of people—including women and children—were present and fed, thereby amplifying the miracle's astonishing magnitude. This event further underscores Jesus' role as the one who abundantly meets fundamental human needs, providing a profound foretaste of His identity as the ultimate spiritual sustenance, the "Bread of Life," who satisfies every deep hunger of the soul.