Matthew 14 · Verse 16

Matthew 14:16

But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
Matthew 14:16, King James Version

Matthew 14:16 in other translations

BSB“They do not need to go away,” Jesus replied. “You give them something to eat.”
WEBBut Jesus said to them, “They don’t need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
ASVBut Jesus said unto them, They have no need to go away; give ye them to eat.
YLTAnd Jesus said to them, ‘They have no need to go away--give ye them to eat.'
DARBYBut Jesus said to them, They have no need to go: give ye them to eat.
BBEBut Jesus said to them, There is no need for them to go away; give them food yourselves.
WebsterBut Jesus said to them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

What does Matthew 14:16 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 16. Jesus said--They need not depart; give ye them to eat. John adds, that previous to this, Jesus had addressed Philip, and asked, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? This he said to prove him; that is, to try his faith; to test the confidence of Philip in himself. Philip, it seems, had not the kind of confidence which he ought to have had. He immediately began to think of their ability to purchase food for them. Two hundred pennyworth of bread, said he, would not be enough. In the original it is two hundred denarii. These were Roman coins, amounting to about fourteen cents each, [seven pence,] The whole two hundred, therefore, would have been equal to about twenty-eight dollars. In the view of Philip, this was a great sum; a sum which twelve poor fishermen were by no means able to provide. It was this fact, and not any unwillingness to provide for them, which led the disciples to request that they should be sent into the villages around, in order to obtain food. Jesus knew how much they had, and he required of them, as he does of all, implicit faith, and told them to give them to eat. He requires us to do what he commands; and we need not doubt that he will give us strength to accomplish it.

Mt 14:13

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 They need not depart - He that seeks first the kingdom of heaven is sure to have every temporal requisite. When a man ensures the first, God always takes care to throw the other into the bargain. He who has an interest in Jesus has in him an inexhaustible treasure of spiritual and temporal good. Though the means by which man may help his fellows have failed, we are not to suppose that the bounty of God is exhausted. When we are about to give up all hope of farther supply, the gracious word of Christ still holds good - They need not depart; give ye them to eat. Give ye them to eat - Should we say, Lord, how shall thy poor, feeble ministering servants feed so many hungry souls as attend thy word! Begin at the command of Jesus - make the attempt - divide what you have - and the bread of God shall be multiplied in your hands, and all shall eat and be satisfied.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 14:13-21

When Christ and his word withdraw, it is best for us to follow, seeking the means of grace for our souls before any worldly advantages. The presence of Christ and his gospel, makes a desert not only tolerable, but desirable. This little supply of bread was increased by Christ's creating power, till the whole multitude were satisfied. In seeking the welfare of men's souls, we should have compassion on their bodies…

Read the full comment on Matthew 14:13-21 →

Matthew 14:16 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ὉHo<the>G3588
δὲdeAndG1161
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
εἶπενeipensaidG2036
αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846
οὐouNoG3756
χρείανchreianneedG5532
ἔχουσινechousinthey haveG2192
ἀπελθεῖν·apeltheinto go away;G565
δότεdotedo giveG1325
αὐτοῖςautoisto themG846
ὑμεῖςhumeisyou yourselvesG4771
φαγεῖν.phageinto eat.G5315

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 14:16

  • 2 Kings 4:42-44

    And there came a man from Baal–shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof. So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the Lord.

  • 2 Corinthians 8:2-3

    How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

  • Ecclesiastes 11:2

    Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.

  • John 13:29

    For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

  • Proverbs 11:24

    There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

  • Luke 3:11

    He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

  • Job 31:16-17

    If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof;

  • 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

    Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
they.
2Ki 4:42-44; Job 31:16,17; Pr 11:24; Ec 11:2; Lu 3:11; Joh 13:29
2Co 8:2,3; 9:7,8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 14:15

    And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

  • Matthew 14:16

    But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.

  • Matthew 14:17

    And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.

Read all of Matthew 14

Matthew 14:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Jesús les dijo: No tienen necesidad de irse: dadles vosotros de comer.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Mais Jésus leur dit: Il n’est pas nécessaire qu’elles s’en aillent; vous, donnez-leur à manger.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Jesus aber sprach zu ihnen: Sie haben nicht nötig wegzugehen; gebet ihr ihnen zu essen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Jesus autem dixit eis: Non habent necesse ire: date illis vos manducare.