⁵⁴ he who 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 abides in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” ⁵⁹ This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper′na-um.

The Words of Eternal Life

⁶⁰ Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” ⁶¹ But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? ⁶² Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?^{[a] 63} It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you that do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that should betray him. ⁶⁵ And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

⁶⁶ After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him.