Bible Strands
Mark 8:19
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the disciples during a journey, prompting them to recall a prior miracle. He specifically asks how many basketfuls of fragments they gathered after breaking five loaves for five thousand people.
The words — ἔκλασα (eklasa) means "I broke," and πεντακισχιλίους (pentakischilious) denotes "five thousand." These terms anchor the question to a specific historical event Jesus initiated.
The thread — This feeding event is cross-referenced in Matthew 14:17, Mark 6:38, and Luke 9:12. The supplied texts record the disciples reporting available food or requesting to dismiss the crowd as evening approached.
Why it lands — The verse demands a factual recall of a past miracle to test spiritual attentiveness. It requires the reader to acknowledge that remembering past provision should sharpen present perception.
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
When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
Cross-references
- Matthew 14:17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered.
- Mark 6:38 “Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them. And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
- Luke 9:12 As the day neared its end, the Twelve came to Jesus and said, “Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside for lodging and provisions. For we are in a desolate place here.”
- John 6:5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”