John 6
English Standard Version
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
6 After this (A)Jesus went away to the other side of (B)the Sea of Galilee, which is (C)the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on (D)the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now (E)the Passover, the (F)feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 (G)Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to (H)Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 (I)Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[a] worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, (J)Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five (K)barley loaves and two fish, but (L)what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” (M)Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and (N)when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, (O)“This is indeed (P)the Prophet (Q)who is to come into the world!”
15 (R)Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus (S)withdrew again to (T)the mountain by himself.
Jesus Walks on Water
16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. 20 (U)But he said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
I Am the Bread of Life
22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only (V)one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord (W)had given thanks. 24 (X)So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and (Y)went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, (Z)“Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, (AA)you are seeking me, not because you saw (AB)signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 (AC)Do not work for the food that perishes, but for (AD)the food that endures to eternal life, which (AE)the Son of Man will give to you. For on (AF)him God the Father has (AG)set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing (AH)the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, (AI)that you believe in him whom (AJ)he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, (AK)“Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 (AL)Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, (AM)‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is (AN)he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, (AO)“Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, (AP)“I am the bread of life; (AQ)whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 (AR)All that (AS)the Father gives me will come to me, and (AT)whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For (AU)I have come down from heaven, not to do (AV)my own will but (AW)the will of him (AX)who sent me. 39 And (AY)this is the will of him who sent me, (AZ)that I should lose nothing of (BA)all that he has given me, but (BB)raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who (BC)looks on the Son and (BD)believes in him (BE)should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, (BF)“I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, (BG)“Is not this Jesus, (BH)the son of Joseph, whose father and mother (BI)we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me (BJ)draws him. And (BK)I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, (BL)‘And they will all be (BM)taught by God.’ (BN)Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— 46 (BO)not that anyone has seen the Father except (BP)he who is from God; he (BQ)has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, (BR)whoever believes has eternal life. 48 (BS)I am the bread of life. 49 (BT)Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and (BU)they died. 50 (BV)This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it (BW)and not die. 51 I am the living bread (BX)that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give (BY)for the life of the world is (BZ)my flesh.”
52 The Jews then (CA)disputed among themselves, saying, (CB)“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of (CC)the Son of Man and drink his blood, you (CD)have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood (CE)has eternal life, and (CF)I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood (CG)abides in me, and I in him. 57 As (CH)the living Father (CI)sent me, and (CJ)I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 (CK)This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread[c] the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 Jesus[d] said these things in the synagogue, as he taught (CL)at Capernaum.
The Words of Eternal Life
60 (CM)When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, (CN)knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see (CO)the Son of Man (CP)ascending to (CQ)where he was before? 63 (CR)It is the Spirit who gives life; (CS)the flesh is no help at all. (CT)The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But (CU)there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus (CV)knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and (CW)who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, “This is why I told you (CX)that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”
66 (CY)After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to (CZ)the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have (DA)the words of eternal life, 69 and (DB)we have believed, and have come to know, that (DC)you are (DD)the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, (DE)“Did I not choose you, (DF)the twelve? And yet one of you is (DG)a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas (DH)the son of Simon Iscariot, for (DI)he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
John 6
New Matthew Bible
Jesus feeds 5,000 men, goes away in order that they should not make him king, and reproves the fleshly hearers of his word. The carnal are offended at him.
6 After these things, Jesus went his way over the sea of Galilee, near to a city called Tiberias. 2 And a great number of people followed him, because they had seen the miracles he did on people who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. 4 And Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and saw a great crowd coming to him, and said to Philip, Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat? 6 This he said to prove him, for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, so that everyone has a little. 8 Then one of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fishes, but what is that among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the people sit down.
There was much grass in the place. And the men sat down, in number about 5,000. 11 And Jesus took the bread and gave thanks, and gave to the disciples, and his disciples to them that were seated. And likewise of the fishes, as much as they desired.
12 When they had eaten enough, he said to his disciples, Gather up the leftover food that remains, so that nothing is lost. 13 And they gathered it together, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over from those who had eaten. 14 Then the people, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth the prophet that was to come into the world.
15 When Jesus perceived that they wanted to come and take him up to make him king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
16 And when evening was come, his disciples went to the sea 17 and entered into a boat, and went over the sea to Capernaum. And soon it was dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 And the sea arose with a great wind that blew. 19 And when they had rowed about 25 or 30 furlongs, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat, and were afraid. 20 And he said to them, It is I; be not afraid.
21 Then they willingly received him into the boat, and the boat was immediately at the land where they were going.
22 The day following, the people who stood on the other side of the sea saw that there had been no other boat there except the one his disciples had entered into, and that Jesus had not got in the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 However, other boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they had eaten bread, when the Lord had blessed. 24 Then, when the people saw that Jesus was not there nor his disciples, they also set off in boats and went to Capernaum seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when did you come here? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Truly truly I say to you, you seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Labour not for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures unto everlasting life, which food the Son of man will give to you. For him has God the Father sealed.
28 Then they said to him, What should we do so that we can work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God: to believe on him whom he has sent.
30 They said to him, What sign will you show then, so that we can see and believe you? What work do you do? 31 Our fathers ate manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Jesus said to them, Truly truly I say to you, Moses did not give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
34 Then they said to him, Lord, give us this bread forevermore.
35 And Jesus said to them, I am that bread of life. He who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes on me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me, and yet do not believe. 37 All whom the Father gives me shall come to me, and him who comes to me, I cast not away. 38 For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him who has sent me. 39 And this is the will of the Father who has sent me: that of everything that he has given me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him who sent me: that every person who sees the Son and believes on him should have everlasting life. And I will raise him up at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am that bread that has come down from heaven. 42 And they said, Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that he says, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus answered and said to them, Do not murmur between yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who has sent me draws him. And I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets that they will all be taught by God. Everyone therefore who has heard and has learned from the Father, comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is of God; the same has seen the Father.
47 Truly truly I say to you, he who believes on me has everlasting life. 48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness but are dead. 50 This is the bread that comes from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am that living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 And the Jews strove among themselves, saying, How can this fellow give his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said to them, Truly truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father has sent me, even so do I live by my Father, and he that eats me shall live by me. 58 This is the bread which came from heaven – not as your fathers ate manna and are dead. He who eats of this bread shall live forever.
59 These things he said in the synagogue as he taught in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying. Who can abide the hearing of it?
61 Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, and said to them, Does this offend you? 62 What if you see the Son of man ascend up to where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit that quickens. The flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak to you, are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe. (For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe, and who would betray him.) 65 And he said, Therefore I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it be given to him by my Father.
66 From that time, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with him. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, Will you also go away? 68 Then Simon Peter answered, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we believe and know that you are Christ, the Son of the living God.
70 Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen you twelve? And yet one of you is a devil. 71 He spoke this of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For it was he who would betray him, and was one of the twelve.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.