VerseReels

Bible story · John 6:1–14

Jesus Feeds the 5,000

A boy shares five loaves and two fish, and Jesus feeds a huge crowd. A 2-minute animated story, told simply for children and families, with each verse from the King James Version.

Start the storyFor parents

1 of 8

Huge crowds followed Jesus everywhere, because they had seen him heal people who were sick.

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

John 6:2 KJV

2 of 8

Jesus went up on a hillside by the lake and saw a great crowd coming. He asked Philip, “Where can we buy bread for all these people to eat?”

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

John 6:5 KJV

3 of 8

Philip said, “Even if we had months of wages, it wouldn’t buy enough bread for everyone to have a little bite!”

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

John 6:7 KJV

4 of 8

Andrew said, “There is a boy here with five small barley loaves and two little fish. But what are they among so many people?”

There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

John 6:9 KJV

5 of 8

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” So everyone sat down on the green grass. There were about five thousand men there.

And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

John 6:10 KJV

6 of 8

Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and handed them out. He did the same with the fish. Everyone ate as much as they wanted.

And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

John 6:11 KJV

7 of 8

When everyone was full, Jesus said to his disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces, so that nothing is wasted.”

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

John 6:12 KJV

8 of 8

They filled twelve baskets with the leftovers, all from just five barley loaves!

Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

John 6:13 KJV

The end

Next story: Jesus Walks on Water

What does this story teach?

  • Jesus cares about what we need, even our hunger.
  • Small things given to Jesus can do great things.
  • Sharing what we have, like the boy did, makes a difference.
  • God gives more than enough.

Questions to talk about

Use these with your children after the story, at bedtime, at the table or in a class.

  1. How do you think the boy felt when he gave his lunch to Jesus?
  2. What did Jesus do before he shared the food?
  3. Why do you think there were leftovers?
  4. What is something small you could share this week?

Read the story in the Bible

This retelling uses simple words for young readers. Read the full account in John 6:1–14, one verse per screen:

John 6 Mark 6

Frequently asked questions

Where is the feeding of the 5,000 in the Bible?

It is the only miracle of Jesus, apart from the resurrection, told in all four Gospels: Matthew 14:13–21, Mark 6:30–44, Luke 9:10–17 and John 6:1–14. Only John mentions the boy who brought the loaves and fish.

How many people did Jesus feed?

About five thousand men (John 6:10). Matthew 14:21 adds “beside women and children,” so the whole crowd may have been much larger.

How many loaves and fish were there?

Five barley loaves and two small fish (John 6:9). After everyone had eaten, the disciples filled twelve baskets with the leftovers (John 6:13).

What is the lesson of the feeding of the 5,000?

Jesus provides for people’s needs, and he can use a small gift, like a boy’s lunch, to do something great. Right afterwards Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).

More Bible stories

See all 36 Bible stories