²¹ Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. ²² On the sixth day, they gathered twice^(A) as much—two omers^[a] for each person—and the leaders of the community^(B) came and reported this to Moses. ²³ He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath^(C) to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”

²⁴ So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. ²⁵ “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. ²⁶ Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,^(D) there will not be any.”

²⁷ Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you^[b] refuse to keep my commands^(E) and my instructions? ²⁹ Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The people of Israel called the bread manna.^[c](F) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. ³² Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”

³³ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna^(G) in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”

³⁴ As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,^(H) so that it might be preserved. ³⁵ The Israelites ate manna^(I) forty years,^(J) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.^(K)

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake^(A) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.^{(B) 23} Then some boats from Tiberias^(C) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.^{(D) 24} Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,^(E) when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(F) not because you saw the signs^(G) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures^(H) to eternal life,^(I) which the Son of Man^(J) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(K) of approval.”

²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(L) in the one he has sent.”^(M)

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign^(N) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?^(O) What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna^(P) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[a]”^(Q)

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven^(R) and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”^(S)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(T) the bread of life.^(U) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(V) in me will never be thirsty.^{(W) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(X) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(Y) not to do my will but to do the will^(Z) of him who sent me.^{(AA) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(AB) but raise them up at the last day.^{(AC) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(AD) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(AE) and I will raise them up at the last day.”