Luke 9:13 Meaning and Explanation
“But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jesus tells the disciples to feed the crowd themselves; they protest that five loaves and two fish are all they have.
What Does Luke 9:13 Mean?
Jesus turns the problem back on the Twelve: Give ye them to eat. The men who lately healed the sick and cast out demons now take inventory and find five loaves and two fishes, with no realistic option but an impossible shopping trip for thousands. The command seems to mock the resources.
He tells them to do what they cannot do, then stands ready to do it through them. The pattern recurs through Scripture: God assigns beyond capacity so that the supply will be unmistakably his. Five loaves in the hands of Christ will feed five thousand; the little we have, surrendered to him, goes further than everything we wish we had. Inadequacy, honestly admitted, is where his sufficiency starts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 9:13
What does Luke 9:13 mean?
Jesus tells the disciples to feed the crowd themselves; they protest that five loaves and two fish are all they have.