Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

And taking the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed them; and he broke, and distributed to his disciples, to set before the multitude.

And taking the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven he blessed them, and broke and gave to the disciples to set before the crowd.

Then he took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and broke, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.

and having taken the five loaves, and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and was giving to the disciples to set before the multitude;

Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to Heaven He blessed them and broke them into portions which He gave to the disciples to distribute to the people.

And he took the five cakes of bread and the two fishes and, looking up to heaven, he said words of blessing over them, and when they had been broken, he gave them to the disciples to give to the people.

He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to the sky, he blessed them, and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd.

Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish, he gazed up to heaven, and he blessed and broke and distributed them to his disciples, in order to set them before the crowd.

Taking the five loaves and the two fish, Jesus looked up to heaven and said the blessing over them. Then he broke them in pieces, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people.

Then he took the five loaves - A minister of the Gospel, who is employed to feed souls, should imitate this conduct of Christ:
1. He ought to exhort the people to hear with sedate and humble reverence.
2. He should first take the bread of life himself, that he may be strengthened to feed others.
3. He ought frequently to lift his soul to God, in order to draw down the Divine blessing on himself and his hearers.
4. He should break the loaves - divide rightly the word of truth, and give to all such portions as are suited to their capacities and states.
5. What he cannot perform himself, he should endeavor to effect by the ministry of others; employing every promising talent, for the edification of the whole, which he finds among the members of the Church of God. Under such a pastor, the flock of Christ will increase and multiply. See Quesnel.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, (e) he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.
(e) He gave God thanks for these loaves and fishes, and prayed at the same time that God would feed this multitude which was so great with such a small quantity, and to put it briefly, that this whole banquet might be to the glory of God.

Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes,.... Into his hands, being brought him by the disciples from the lad that had them:
and looking up to heaven: to his Father there, from whom all the mercies and blessings of life come;
he blessed them; either asked, or commanded a blessing on them, that they might multiply and increase, that there might be a sufficiency for all the people, and that, they might be nourishing to them. Beza observes, that in his most ancient copy, it is read, "he blessed upon them"; which perfectly agrees with the Jewish way of speaking, "he that blesseth upon the bread"; "he that blesseth upon the wine"; and so upon the fruits of trees, and upon the fruits of the earth, and upon other things (s);
and brake; the loaves, and divided the fishes into parts:
and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude; as they sat in ranks, and in their distinct companies.
(s) Misn. Beracot, c. 6. sect. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7.