PROPER 12 (17) – Year B

John 6:1-21

6:1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.

6:2 A large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.

6:3 Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.

6:4 Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.

6:5 When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?"

6:6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do.

6:7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."

6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,

6:9 "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?"

6:10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place, so they sat down, about five thousand in all.

6:11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.

6:12 When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost."

6:13 So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets.

6:14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."

6:15 When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

6:16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

6:17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

6:18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing.

6:19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified.

6:20 But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."

6:21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.