Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples(A) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”(B)

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?(C) 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man(D) ascend to where he was before!(E) 63 The Spirit gives life;(F) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[a] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known(G) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.(H) 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”(I)

66 From this time many of his disciples(J) turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.(K)

68 Simon Peter answered him,(L) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.(M) 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”(N)

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,(O) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”(P)

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Footnotes

  1. John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit

60 So then many of His (A)disciples, when they heard this, said, “(B)This statement is very [a]unpleasant; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, (C)aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this [b](D)offensive to you? 62 What then if you see (E)the Son of Man (F)ascending to where He was before? 63 (G)It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; (H)the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. 64 But there are (I)some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus (J)knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and (K)who it was who would [c]betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have (L)told you that no one can come to Me unless (M)it has been granted him from the Father.”

Peter’s Confession of Faith

66 As a result of this many of His (N)disciples (O)left, and would no longer walk with Him. 67 So Jesus said to (P)the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?” 68 (Q)Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have (R)words of eternal life. 69 And we have already believed and have come to know that You are (S)the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, (T)Did I Myself not choose you, (U)the twelve? And yet one of you is (V)a devil.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 6:60 Or hard
  2. John 6:61 Or shocking
  3. John 6:64 Or hand Him over

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 Many of his disciples said, “This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?”

61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were complaining, so he said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man ascend to heaven again? 63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.[a]

70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.”

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Footnotes

  1. 6:69 Other manuscripts read you are the Christ, the Holy One of God; still others read you are the Christ, the Son of God; and still others read you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Too Tough to Swallow

60 Many among his disciples heard this and said, “This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.”

61-65 Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, “Does this rattle you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this.” (Jesus knew from the start that some weren’t going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, “This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father.”

66-67 After this, many of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: “Do you also want to leave?”

68-69 Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”

70-71 Jesus responded, “Haven’t I handpicked you, the Twelve? Still, one of you is a devil!” He was referring to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. This man—one from the Twelve!—was even then getting ready to betray him.

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60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

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