The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 98
Rome’s Decree Concerning Jesus and the Five Loaves
And having said this, the multitude departed with the priest and the governor with Herod, having great disputations concerning Jesus and concerning his doctrine. Whereupon the priest prayed the governor to write unto Rome to the senate the whole matter; which thing the governor did; wherefore the senate had compassion on Israel, and decreed that on pain of death none should call Jesus the Nazarene, prophet of the Jews, either God or son of God. Which decree was posted up in the temple, engraved upon copper.
When the greater part of the crowd had departed, there remained about five thousand men, without women and children; who being wearied by the journey, having been two days without bread, for that through longing to see Jesus they had forgotten to bring any, whereupon they ate raw herbs—therefore they were not able to depart like the others.
Then Jesus, when he perceived this, had pity on them, and said to Philip: 'Where shall we find bread for them that they perish not of hunger?'
Philip answered: 'Lord, two hundred pieces of gold could not buy so much bread that each one should taste a little.' Then said Andrew: 'There is here a child which hath five loaves and two fishes, but what will it be among so many?'
Jesus answered: 'Make the multitude sit down.' And they sat down upon the grass by fifties and by forties. Thereupon said Jesus: 'In the name of God!' And he took the bread, and prayed to God and then brake the bread, which he gave to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the multitude; and so did they with the fishes. Everyone ate and every one was satisfied. Then said Jesus: 'Gather up that which is over.' So the disciples gathered fragments, and filled twelve baskets. Thereupon every one put his hand to his eyes, saying: 'Am I awake, or do I dream?' And they remained, every one, for the space of an hour, as it were beside themselves by reason of the great miracle.
Afterwards Jesus, when he had given thanks to God, dismissed them, but there were seventy-two men that willed not to leave him; wherefore Jesus, perceiving their faith, chose them for disciples.
After this, the multitude departed with the priest, the governor, and Herod, greatly disputing about Jesus and his doctrine. The priest asked the governor to write the whole matter to the senate in Rome, and the governor did so. The senate had compassion on Israel and decreed, under penalty of death, that no one should call Jesus the Nazarene, prophet of the Jews, either God or the Son of God. The decree was engraved on copper and posted in the temple.
When most of the crowd had departed, about five thousand men remained, besides women and children. They were exhausted from the journey and had been without bread for two days, because in their eagerness to see Jesus they had forgotten to bring any. They had eaten raw herbs and were therefore unable to depart with the others.
When Jesus saw this, he had compassion on them and said to Philip: 'Where can we find bread so that they do not perish from hunger?'
Philip answered: 'Lord, two hundred pieces of gold could not buy enough bread for each person even to taste a little.' Andrew then said: 'There is a child here with five loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?'
Jesus answered: 'Have the multitude sit down.' They sat upon the grass in groups of fifty and forty. Jesus then said, 'In the name of God!' He took the bread, prayed to God, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, who distributed it to the multitude; he did the same with the fish. Everyone ate and was satisfied. Jesus then said: 'Gather what remains.' The disciples gathered the fragments and filled twelve baskets. Everyone put a hand to his eyes and asked: 'Am I awake, or am I dreaming?' For an hour they remained as though beside themselves because of the greatness of the miracle.
Afterward Jesus gave thanks to God and dismissed them. But seventy-two men refused to leave him, and Jesus, perceiving their faith, chose them as disciples.
And having said this, the multitude departed with the priest and the governor with Herod, having great disputations concerning Jesus and concerning his doctrine. Whereupon the priest prayed the governor to write unto Rome to the senate the whole matter; which thing the governor did; wherefore the senate had compassion on Israel, and decreed that on pain of death none should call Jesus the Nazarene, prophet of the Jews, either God or son of God. Which decree was posted up in the temple, engraved upon copper.
When the greater part of the crowd had departed, there remained about five thousand men, without women and children; who being wearied by the journey, having been two days without bread, for that through longing to see Jesus they had forgotten to bring any, whereupon they ate raw herbs—therefore they were not able to depart like the others.
Then Jesus, when he perceived this, had pity on them, and said to Philip: 'Where shall we find bread for them that they perish not of hunger?'
Philip answered: 'Lord, two hundred pieces of gold could not buy so much bread that each one should taste a little.' Then said Andrew: 'There is here a child which hath five loaves and two fishes, but what will it be among so many?'
Jesus answered: 'Make the multitude sit down.' And they sat down upon the grass by fifties and by forties. Thereupon said Jesus: 'In the name of God!' And he took the bread, and prayed to God and then brake the bread, which he gave to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the multitude; and so did they with the fishes. Everyone ate and every one was satisfied. Then said Jesus: 'Gather up that which is over.' So the disciples gathered fragments, and filled twelve baskets. Thereupon every one put his hand to his eyes, saying: 'Am I awake, or do I dream?' And they remained, every one, for the space of an hour, as it were beside themselves by reason of the great miracle.
Afterwards Jesus, when he had given thanks to God, dismissed them, but there were seventy-two men that willed not to leave him; wherefore Jesus, perceiving their faith, chose them for disciples.