Many Disciples Desert Jesus

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

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

³¹ To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching,^(A) you are really my disciples.

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

⁴³ Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say.

⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”^(A)

¹⁶ He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable^(A) people distort,^(B) as they do the other Scriptures,^(C) to their own destruction.

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,^(A) whose father and mother we know?^(B) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(C)

Warning Against Falling Away^(A)

¹¹ We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.