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In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them,
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"I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.
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And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar."
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Then His disciples answered Him, "How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?"
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He asked them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven."
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So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.
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They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them.
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So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.
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Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away,
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immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.
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Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
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But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation."
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And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.