Luke 9:16

Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples to set before the people.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus acts while a seated crowd waits, taking the available food and instructing His disciples to distribute it to the people.

The words — λαβὼν (labōn), an aorist active participle meaning "having taken," signals the decisive physical initiation of the miracle before any blessing occurs.

The thread — The sequence of taking, blessing, breaking, and giving bread recurs in Matthew 14:19, Matthew 15:36, and Luke 24:30.

Why it lands — It demands recognition that divine provision is channeled through human hands, requiring active participation in what Christ first sanctifies.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

Cross-references

Matthew 14:19 And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Matthew 15:36 Taking the seven loaves and the fish, He gave thanks and broke them. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Luke 24:30 While He was reclining at the table with them, He took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to them.
1 Timothy 4:4 For every creation of God is good, and nothing that is received with thanksgiving should be rejected,
Psalms 121:1 A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
Luke 22:19 And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
John 6:11 Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.
John 6:23 However, some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
Acts 27:35 After he had said this, Paul took bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.
Romans 14:6 He who observes a special day does so to the Lord; he who eats does so to the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.