² In the desert the whole community grumbled^(A) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(B) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(C) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(D)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(E) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(F) them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory^(A) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.^(B)

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the grumbling^(C) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”^(D)

¹³ That evening quail^(E) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew^(F) around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost^(G) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know^(H) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread^(I) the Lord has given you to eat.

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,^(A) when did you get here?”

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

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

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^(N) and gives life to the world.”

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

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(P) the bread of life.^(Q) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(R) in me will never be thirsty.^(S)