Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to John 6
Close NIV

John 6
New International Version

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(A)

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs(B) he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside(C) and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival(D) was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip,(E) “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,(F) spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”(G)

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks,(H) and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign(I) Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”(J) 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king(K) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.(L)

Jesus Walks on the Water(M)

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;(N) and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”(O) 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake(P) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.(Q) 23 Then some boats from Tiberias(R) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.(S) 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,(T) when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,(U) not because you saw the signs(V) 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(W) to eternal life,(X) which the Son of Man(Y) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal(Z) 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(AA) in the one he has sent.”(AB)

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

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(AG) and gives life to the world.”

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

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am(AI) the bread of life.(AJ) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes(AK) in me will never be thirsty.(AL) 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me(AM) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven(AN) not to do my will but to do the will(AO) of him who sent me.(AP) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,(AQ) but raise them up at the last day.(AR) 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son(AS) and believes in him shall have eternal life,(AT) 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,(AU) whose father and mother we know?(AV) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”(AW)

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,(AX) and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[d](AY) 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;(AZ) only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.(BA) 48 I am the bread of life.(BB) 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.(BC) 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,(BD) which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread(BE) that came down from heaven.(BF) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”(BG)

52 Then the Jews(BH) began to argue sharply among themselves,(BI) “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(BJ) of the Son of Man(BK) and drink his blood,(BL) 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.(BM) 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.(BN) 57 Just as the living Father sent me(BO) 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.”(BP) 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

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

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?(BS) 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man(BT) ascend to where he was before!(BU) 63 The Spirit gives life;(BV) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known(BW) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.(BX) 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.”(BY)

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

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

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

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,(CE) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”(CF) 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,(CG) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)(CH)

Footnotes

  1. John 6:7 Greek take two hundred denarii
  2. John 6:19 Or about 5 or 6 kilometers
  3. John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25
  4. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13
  5. John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit
Close NLT

John 6
New Living Translation

Jesus Feeds Five Thousand

6 After this, Jesus crossed over to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias. 2 A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick. 3 Then Jesus climbed a hill and sat down with his disciples around him. 4 (It was nearly time for the Jewish Passover celebration.) 5 Jesus soon saw a huge crowd of people coming to look for him. Turning to Philip, he asked, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?” 6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

7 Philip replied, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money[a] to feed them!”

8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up. 9 “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

10 “Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. 12 After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” 13 So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

14 When the people saw him[b] do this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, “Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!”[c] 15 When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

Jesus Walks on Water

16 That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him. 17 But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn’t come back, they got into the boat and headed across the lake toward Capernaum. 18 Soon a gale swept down upon them, and the sea grew very rough. 19 They had rowed three or four miles[d] when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified, 20 but he called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. I am here![e]” 21 Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they arrived at their destination!

Jesus, the Bread of Life

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the far shore saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them. 23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. 24 So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him. 25 They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

26 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. 27 But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man[f] can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

28 They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

30 They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? 31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[g]”

32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But you haven’t believed in me even though you have seen me. 37 However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 Then the people[h] began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Isn’t this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”

43 But Jesus replied, “Stop complaining about what I said. 44 For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures,[i] ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen him.)

47 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. 48 Yes, I am the bread of life! 49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. 50 Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh.”

52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

53 So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54 But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.”

59 He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

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.[j]”

70 Then Jesus said, “I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil.” 71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.

Footnotes

  1. 6:7 Greek Two hundred denarii would not be enough. A denarius was equivalent to a laborer’s full day’s wage.
  2. 6:14a Some manuscripts read Jesus.
  3. 6:14b See Deut 18:15, 18; Mal 4:5-6.
  4. 6:19 Greek 25 or 30 stadia [4.6 or 5.5 kilometers].
  5. 6:20 Or The ‘I am’ is here; Greek reads I am. See Exod 3:14.
  6. 6:27 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
  7. 6:31 Exod 16:4; Ps 78:24.
  8. 6:41 Greek Jewish people; also in 6:52.
  9. 6:45 Greek in the prophets. Isa 54:13.
  10. 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.
Listen to John 6
Close ESV

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.

Footnotes

  1. John 6:7 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  2. John 6:19 Greek twenty-five or thirty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
  3. John 6:58 Greek lacks the bread
  4. John 6:59 Greek He
Listen to John 6
Close CSB

John 6
Christian Standard Bible

The Fourth Sign: Feeding of the Five Thousand

6 After(A) this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee(B) (or Tiberias(C)). 2 A huge crowd was following him because they saw the signs that he was performing by healing the sick. 3 Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with his disciples.

4 Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5 So when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward him,(D) he asked Philip,(E) “Where will we buy bread so that these people can eat?” 6 He asked this to test him,(F) for he himself knew what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[a](G) worth of bread wouldn’t be enough for each of them to have a little.”

8 One of his disciples, Andrew,(H) Simon(I) Peter’s(J) brother, said to him, 9 “There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what are they for so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”

There was plenty of grass in that place; so they sat down. The men numbered about five thousand.(K) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks he distributed them to those who were seated—so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.(L)

12 When they were full, he told his disciples, “Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted.”(M) 13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.

14 When the people saw the sign[b] he had done, they said, “This truly is the Prophet(N) who is to come(O) into the world.”(P)

15 Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king,(Q) he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

The Fifth Sign: Walking on Water

16 When(R) evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum.(S) Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 A high wind arose, and the sea began to churn. 19 After they had rowed about three or four miles,[c] they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they were afraid. 20 But he said to them, “It is I.[d](T) Don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him on board, and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading.

The Bread of Life

22 The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw there had been only one boat.[e](U) They also saw that Jesus had not boarded the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone off alone. 23 Some boats from Tiberias(V) came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi,(W) when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw[f] the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes(X) but for the food that lasts for eternal life,(Y) which the Son of Man(Z) will give you, because God the Father(AA) has set his seal of approval on him.”

28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

29 Jesus replied, “This is the work(AB) of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.”(AC)

30 “What sign, then, are you going to do so that we may see and believe you?” they asked. “What are you going to perform? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna(AD) in the wilderness,(AE) just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”[g](AF)

32 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, Moses(AG) didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

35 “I am(AH) the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me(AI) will ever be hungry,(AJ) and no one who believes in me(AK) will ever be thirsty(AL) again. 36 But as I told you, you’ve seen me,[h] and yet you do not believe. 37 Everyone the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never cast out.(AM) 38 For I have come down from heaven,(AN) not to do my own will, but the will of him(AO) who sent me. 39 This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise(AP) them up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father: (AQ) that everyone who sees the Son(AR) and believes in him will have eternal life, and I will raise(AS) him up on the last day.”

41 Therefore the Jews started grumbling about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Isn’t this Jesus the son of Joseph,(AT) whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

43 Jesus answered them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws[i] him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: (AU) And they will all be taught by God.[j](AV) Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father(AW) comes to me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father(AX) except the one who is from God.(AY) He has seen the Father.(AZ)

47 “Truly I tell you, anyone who believes[k] has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna(BA) in the wilderness,(BB) and they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die.(BC) 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live(BD) forever.(BE) The bread that I will give for the life(BF) of the world is my flesh.”(BG)

52 At that, the Jews argued(BH) among themselves,(BI) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man(BJ) and drink his blood,(BK) you do not have life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood(BL) has eternal life, and I will raise(BM) him up on the last day, 55 because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.(BN) 57 Just as the living(BO) Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live(BP) because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna[l] your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”(BQ)

59 He said these things while teaching in the synagogue(BR) in Capernaum.(BS)

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept[m] it?”

61 Jesus, knowing in himself(BT) that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man(BU) ascending(BV) to where he was before? 63 The Spirit(BW) is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning(BX) those who did not[n] believe and the one who would betray(BY) him.) 65 He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me(BZ) unless it is granted to him by the Father.”

66 From that moment[o] many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve,(CA) “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”

68 Simon Peter(CB) answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”[p](CC)

70 Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve?(CD) Yet one of you is a devil.”(CE) 71 He was referring to Judas,(CF) Simon Iscariot’s son,[q] one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray(CG) him.

Footnotes

  1. 6:7 A denarius = one day’s wage
  2. 6:14 Other mss read signs
  3. 6:19 Lit twenty-five or thirty stadia; one stadion = 600 feet
  4. 6:20 Lit “I am
  5. 6:22 Other mss add into which his disciples had entered
  6. 6:26 Or perceived
  7. 6:31 Ex 16:4; Ps 78:24
  8. 6:36 Other mss omit me
  9. 6:44 Or brings, or leads
  10. 6:45 Is 54:13
  11. 6:47 Other mss add in me
  12. 6:58 Gk text lacks the manna
  13. 6:60 Lit hear
  14. 6:64 Other mss omit not
  15. 6:66 Or Because of this
  16. 6:69 Other mss read you are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God
  17. 6:71 Or Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son
Next
John 5
John 7
Next
dropdown
New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.

July Summer Surge

More on the NIV

New Living Translation (NLT)

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.


English Standard Version (ESV)

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

ESV Study Bible
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.