5
He asked, "How much bread do you have?" "Seven loaves," they said.
6
So Jesus told the crowd to sit down on the ground. After giving thanks, he took the seven bread loaves, broke them into pieces, and gave them to his disciples so they could hand them out to the crowd.
7
They also had a few fish. He pronounced a blessing over the fish and told his disciples to hand them out as well.
8
The crowd ate its fill. Seven sacks of leftovers were collected.
9
There were well over four thousand at the meal. Then he sent them home.
10
He himself went straight to the boat with his disciples and set out for Dalmanoutha.
11
When they arrived, the Pharisees came out and started in on him, badgering him to prove himself, pushing him up against the wall.
12
Provoked, he said, "Why does this generation clamor for miraculous guarantees? If I have anything to say about it, you'll not get so much as a hint of a guarantee."
13
He then left them, got back in the boat, and headed for the other side.
14
But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn't a crumb in the boat.
15
Jesus warned, "Be very careful. Keep a sharp eye out for the contaminating yeast of Pharisees and the followers of Herod."