²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(A) not because you saw the signs^(B) 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^(C) to eternal life,^(D) which the Son of Man^(E) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(F) 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^(G) in the one he has sent.”^(H)

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

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^(M) and gives life to the world.”

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

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

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,^(AA) whose father and mother we know?^(AB) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(AC)

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(AD) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[b](AE) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(AF) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(AG) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(AH) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(AI) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(AJ) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(AK) that came down from heaven.^(AL) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(AM)

⁵² Then the Jews^(AN) began to argue sharply among themselves,^(AO) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh^(AP) of the Son of Man^(AQ) and drink his blood,^(AR) you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^{(AS) 55} For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.^{(AT) 57} Just as the living Father sent me^(AU) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^{(AV) 59} He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.