Bible Strands
Mark 8:6
And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the seven loaves, gave thanks and broke them, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And they distributed them to the crowd.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Jesus addresses the gathered crowd and His disciples immediately after confirming the supply of seven loaves. He issues a command to prepare the people for a communal meal.
The words — παραγγέλλει (parangellei) = He directs or instructs. ἀναπεσεῖν (anapesein) = to recline or sit down.
The thread — The command to seat the crowd echoes Matthew 15:35, while the act of giving thanks aligns with the pattern in Colossians 3:17. The directive to bring provisions to Jesus mirrors Matthew 14:18.
Why it lands — The text records a practical sequence of seating, blessing, breaking, and distributing bread. It requires the reader to observe that physical provision is managed through ordered gratitude and delegated service.
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
And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.
Cross-references
- Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Matthew 14:18 “Bring them here to Me,” Jesus said.
- Matthew 15:35 And He instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground.
- John 6:10 “Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.
- 1 Corinthians 10:30 If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
- John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
- 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.
- 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.
- 1 Samuel 9:13 As soon as you enter the city, you will find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. The people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; after that, the guests will eat. Go up at once; you will find him.”
- Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”