John 6
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Fourth Sign: Feeding 5,000
6 After(A) this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee(B) (or Tiberias(C)). 2 And a huge crowd was following Him because they saw the signs that He was performing by healing the sick. 3 So Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5 Therefore, when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward Him,(D) He asked Philip,(E) “Where will we buy bread so 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, “Two hundred denarii(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 Then Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”
There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down. The men numbered about 5,000.(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 12 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[a] He had done, they said, “This really is the Prophet(N) who was to come(O) into the world!”(P) 15 Therefore, when Jesus knew that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king,(Q) He withdrew again[b] 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 Then 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 knew there had been only one boat.[e](U) They also knew 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 ate the bread after the Lord gave 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, “I assure 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 we may see and believe You?” they asked. “What are You going to perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna(AD) in the wilderness,(AE) just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.”[g](AF)[h]
32 Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Moses(AG) didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the real 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,[i] 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 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 may have eternal life, and I will raise(AS) him up on the last day.”
41 Therefore the Jews started complaining 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 complaining among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws[j] 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.(AV)[k] 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 “I assure you: Anyone who believes[l] has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers 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, “I assure 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 Anyone 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 real food and My blood is real drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives 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[m] your fathers 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[n] it?”
61 Jesus, knowing in Himself(BT) that His disciples were complaining 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 would not[o] 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 many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him. 67 Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve,(CA) “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”
68 Simon Peter(CB) answered, “Lord, who will we go to? 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 the Devil!”(CE) 71 He was referring to Judas,(CF) Simon Iscariot’s son,[q][r] one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray(CG) Him.
Footnotes
- John 6:14 Other mss read signs
- John 6:15 A previous withdrawal is mentioned in Mk 6:31-32, an event that occurred just before the feeding of the 5,000.
- John 6:19 Lit 25 or 30 stadia; 1 stadion = 600 feet
- John 6:20 Lit I am
- John 6:22 Other mss add into which His disciples had entered
- John 6:26 Or perceived
- John 6:31 Bread miraculously provided by God for the Israelites
- John 6:31 Ex 16:4; Ps 78:24
- John 6:36 Other mss omit Me
- John 6:44 Or brings, or leads; see the use of this Gk verb in Jn 12:32; 21:6; Ac 16:19; Jms 2:6.
- John 6:45 Is 54:13
- John 6:47 Other mss add in Me
- John 6:58 Other mss omit the manna
- John 6:60 Lit hear
- John 6:64 Other mss omit not
- John 6:69 Other mss read You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God
- John 6:71 Other mss read Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son
- John 6:71 Lit Judas, of Simon Iscariot
John 6
New Testament for Everyone
Feeding the five thousand
6 After this Jesus went away beside the sea of Galilee, that is, the sea of Tiberias. 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was doing in healing the sick. 3 Jesus went up into the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4 It was nearly time for the Passover, a Jewish festival.
5 Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming to him.
“Where are we going to buy bread,” he said to Philip, “so that they can have something to eat?” 6 (He said this to test him. He himself knew what he intended to do.)
7 “Even with six months’ pay,” replied Philip, “you wouldn’t be able to buy enough bread for each of them to have just a little!”
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, joined in.
9 “There’s a lad here,” he said, “who’s got five barley loaves and two fish. But what use are they with this many people?”
10 “Make the men sit down,” said Jesus.
There was a lot of grass where they were, so the men sat down, about five thousand in all. 11 So Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and gave them to the people sitting down, and then did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 When they were satisfied, he called the disciples.
“Collect up the bits and pieces left over,” he said, “so that we don’t lose anything.”
13 So they collected it up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces of the five barley loaves left behind by the people who had eaten.
14 When the people saw the sign that Jesus had done, they said, “This really is the Prophet, the one who is to come into the world.” 15 So when Jesus realized that they were intending to come and seize him to make him king, he withdrew again, by himself, up the mountain.
Jesus walking on the water
16 When it was evening, Jesus’ disciples went down to the seashore. 17 They got into a boat, and went across the sea towards Capernaum. It was already getting dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 A strong wind blew up, and the sea began to get rough. 19 They had been rowing for about three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, coming towards the boat. They were terrified.
20 But he spoke to them.
“It’s me!” he said. “Don’t be afraid!”
21 Then they were eager to take him into the boat; and at once the boat arrived at the land they had been making for.
22 The next day the crowd that had remained on the far side of the lake saw that there had only been the one boat there. They knew that Jesus hadn’t gone with his disciples, but that the disciples had set off by themselves. 23 But other boats came from Tiberias, 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 themselves got into the boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
25 When they found him beside the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
Bread from heaven
26 This was Jesus’ reply.
“I’m telling you the solemn truth,” he said. “You aren’t looking for me because you saw signs, but because you ate as much bread as you could. 27 You shouldn’t be working for perishable food, but for food that will last to the life of God’s coming age—the food which the son of man will give you, the person whom God the father has stamped with the seal of his approval.”
28 “What should we be doing,” they asked him, “so that we can be doing the work God wants?”
29 “This is the work God wants of you,” replied Jesus, “that you believe in the one he sent.”
30 “Well, then,” they said to him, “what sign are you going to do, so that we can see it and believe you? What work are you doing? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; it says in the Bible that ‘he gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
32 “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” Jesus replied. “It wasn’t Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. It was my father who gave you the true bread from heaven. 33 God’s bread, you see, is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 “Master,” they said, “give us this bread—give it to us always!”
35 “I am the bread of life,” replied Jesus. “Anyone who comes to me will never be hungry! Anyone who believes in me will never be thirsty!”
The father’s will
36 “But I told you,” Jesus continued, “that you have indeed seen me—and still you don’t believe! 37 All that the father gives me will come to me; and I won’t reject anyone who comes to me, 38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should lose nothing out of everything that he has given me, but that I should raise it up on the last day. 40 This is the will of my father, you see: that all who see the son and believe in him should have the life of God’s coming age; and I will raise them up on the last day.”
41 The Judaeans then grumbled about him because he had said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.”
42 “Isn’t this Jesus, Joseph’s son?” they said. “We know his father and mother, don’t we? So how can he say ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43 “Don’t grumble among yourselves,” answered Jesus. 44 “No one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws them—and I will raise them up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘They shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to what comes from the father, and learns from it, comes to me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the father except the one who is from God; he has seen the father.”
Eating and drinking the son of man
47 “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” Jesus went on. “Anyone who believes in me has the life of God’s coming age. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors in the wilderness ate the manna, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, so that people can eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread, they will live forever. And the bread which I shall give is my flesh, given for the life of the world.”
52 This caused a squabble among the Judaeans.
“How can this fellow give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.
53 “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” Jesus replied. “If you don’t eat the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 Anyone who feasts upon my flesh and drinks my blood has the life of God’s coming age, and I will raise them up on the last day. 55 My flesh is true food, you see, and my blood is true drink. 56 Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I remain in them. 57 Just as the living father sent me, and I live because of the father, so the one who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven; it isn’t like the bread which the ancestors ate, and died. The one who eats this bread will share the life of God’s new age.”
59 He said this in the synagogue, while he was teaching in Capernaum.
Division among Jesus’ followers
60 When they heard this, many of Jesus’ disciples said, “This is difficult stuff! Who can bear to listen to it?”
61 Jesus knew in himself that his disciples were grumbling about what he’d said.
“Does this put you off?” he said. 62 “What if you were to see the son of man ascending to where he was before? 63 It’s the spirit that gives life; the flesh is no help. The words that I have spoken to you—they are spirit, they are life. 64 But there are some of you who don’t believe.”
Jesus knew from the beginning, you see, those who didn’t believe, and the one who was going to betray him.
65 “That’s why I said,” he went on, “that no one can come to me unless it is given to them by the father.”
66 From that time on, several of his disciples drew back, and no longer went about with him.
67 Jesus turned to the Twelve.
“You don’t want to go away too, do you?” he asked.
68 Simon Peter spoke up.
“Master,” he said, “who can we go to? You’re the one who’s got the life-giving words of the age to come! 69 We’ve come to believe it—we’ve come to know it!—that you are God’s holy one.”
70 “Well,” replied Jesus, “I chose you twelve, didn’t I? And one of you is an accuser!”
71 He was referring to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. He was one of the Twelve, and he was going to betray him.
John 6
King James Version
6 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him,
9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
24 When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
48 I am that bread of life.
49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
John 6
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 6
Multiplication of the Loaves.[a] 1 (A)After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee [of Tiberias].[b] 2 A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish feast of Passover was near.(B) 5 [c]When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip,(C) “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” 6 [d]He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages[e] worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little [bit].”(D) 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves[f] and two fish; but what good are these for so many?”(E) 10 Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass[g] in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.(F) 11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted.(G) 12 When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” 13 So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets[h] with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat. 14 When the people saw the sign he had done, they said, “This is truly the Prophet,[i] the one who is to come into the world.”(H) 15 Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.(I)
Walking on the Water.[j] 16 (J)When it was evening, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 embarked in a boat, and went across the sea to Capernaum. It had already grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea was stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea[k] and coming near the boat, and they began to be afraid.(K) 20 But he said to them, “It is I.[l] Do not be afraid.” 21 They wanted to take him into the boat, but the boat immediately arrived at the shore to which they were heading.
The Bread of Life Discourse. 22 [m]The next day, the crowd that remained across the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not gone along with his disciples in the boat, but only his disciples had left. 23 [n]Other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they had eaten the bread when the Lord gave thanks. 24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into boats and came to Capernaum looking for Jesus. 25 And when they found him across the sea they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 26 Jesus answered them and said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life,[o] which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal.”(L) 28 So they said to him, “What can we do to accomplish the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent.” 30 So they said to him, “What sign can you do, that we may see and believe in you? What can you do?(M) 31 [p]Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, as it is written:(N)
‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 So Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.(O) 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 (P)So they said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” 35 [q]Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.(Q) 36 But I told you that although you have seen [me], you do not believe.(R) 37 Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, 38 because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.(S) 39 And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day.(T) 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”(U)
41 The Jews murmured about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” 42 and they said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”(V) 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop murmuring[r] among yourselves.(W) 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him, and I will raise him on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets:
‘They shall all be taught by God.’
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.(X) 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God; he has seen the Father.(Y) 47 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;(Z) 50 this is the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”(AA)
52 The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?” 53 Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54 Whoever eats[s] my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.(AB) 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59 These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
The Words of Eternal Life.[t] 60 Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” 61 Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you? 62 What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?[u] 63 It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh[v] is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.(AC) 65 And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”
66 As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. 67 Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”(AD) 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?” 71 He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.(AE)
Footnotes
- 6:1–15 This story of the multiplication of the loaves is the fourth sign (cf. note on Jn 5:1–47). It is the only miracle story found in all four gospels (occurring twice in Mark and Matthew). See notes on Mt 14:13–21; 15:32–39. John differs on the roles of Philip and Andrew, the proximity of Passover (Jn 6:4), and the allusion to Elisha (see Jn 6:9). The story here symbolizes the food that is really available through Jesus. It connotes a new exodus and has eucharistic overtones.
- 6:1 [Of Tiberias]: the awkward apposition represents a later name of the Sea of Galilee. It was probably originally a marginal gloss.
- 6:5 Jesus takes the initiative (in the synoptics, the disciples do), possibly pictured as (cf. Jn 6:14) the new Moses (cf. Nm 11:13).
- 6:6 Probably the evangelist’s comment; in this gospel Jesus is never portrayed as ignorant of anything.
- 6:7 Days’ wages: literally, “denarii”; a Roman denarius is a day’s wage in Mt 20:2.
- 6:9 Barley loaves: the food of the poor. There seems an allusion to the story of Elisha multiplying the barley bread in 2 Kgs 4:42–44.
- 6:10 Grass: implies springtime, and therefore Passover. Five thousand: so Mk 6:39, 44 and parallels.
- 6:13 Baskets: the word describes the typically Palestinian wicker basket, as in Mk 6:43 and parallels.
- 6:14 The Prophet: probably the prophet like Moses (see note on Jn 1:21). The one who is to come into the world: probably Elijah; cf. Mal 3:1, 23.
- 6:16–21 The fifth sign is a nature miracle, portraying Jesus sharing Yahweh’s power. Cf. the parallel stories following the multiplication of the loaves in Mk 6:45–52 and Mt 14:22–33.
- 6:19 Walking on the sea: although the Greek (cf. Jn 6:16) could mean “on the seashore” or “by the sea” (cf. Jn 21:1), the parallels, especially Mt 14:25, make clear that Jesus walked upon the water. John may allude to Jb 9:8: God “treads upon the crests of the sea.”
- 6:20 It is I: literally, “I am.” See also notes on Jn 4:26 and Mk 6:50.
- 6:22–71 Discourse on the bread of life; replacement of the manna. Jn 6:22–34 serve as an introduction, Jn 6:35–59 constitute the discourse proper, Jn 6:60–71 portray the reaction of the disciples and Peter’s confession.
- 6:23 Possibly a later interpolation, to explain how the crowd got to Capernaum.
- 6:27 The food that endures for eternal life: cf. Jn 4:14, on water “springing up to eternal life.”
- 6:31 Bread from heaven: cf. Ex 16:4, 15, 32–34 and the notes there; Ps 78:24. The manna, thought to have been hidden by Jeremiah (2 Mc 2:5–8), was expected to reappear miraculously at Passover, in the last days.
- 6:35–59 Up to Jn 6:50 “bread of life” is a figure for God’s revelation in Jesus; in Jn 6:51–58, the eucharistic theme comes to the fore. There may thus be a break between Jn 6:50–51.
- 6:43 Murmuring: the word may reflect the Greek of Ex 16:2, 7–8.
- 6:54–58 Eats: the verb used in these verses is not the classical Greek verb used of human eating, but that of animal eating: “munch,” “gnaw.” This may be part of John’s emphasis on the reality of the flesh and blood of Jesus (cf. Jn 6:55), but the same verb eventually became the ordinary verb in Greek meaning “eat.”
- 6:60–71 These verses refer more to themes of Jn 6:35–50 than to those of Jn 6:51–58 and seem to be addressed to members of the Johannine community who found it difficult to accept the high christology reflected in the bread of life discourse.
- 6:62 This unfinished conditional sentence is obscure. Probably there is a reference to Jn 6:49–51. Jesus claims to be the bread that comes down from heaven (Jn 6:50); this claim provokes incredulity (Jn 6:60); and so Jesus is pictured as asking what his disciples will say when he goes up to heaven.
- 6:63 Spirit…flesh: probably not a reference to the eucharistic body of Jesus but to the supernatural and the natural, as in Jn 3:6. Spirit and life: all Jesus said about the bread of life is the revelation of the Spirit.
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Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.
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