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Feeding the Five Thousand

After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tibe′ri-as. And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased. Jesus went up into the hills, and there sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, “How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii[a] would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and 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 fragments left over, 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 which he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!”

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the hills by himself.

Jesus Walks on the Water

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Caper′na-um. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea rose 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 drawing near to the boat. They were frightened, 20 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.

The Bread from Heaven

22 On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 However, boats from Tibe′ri-as came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper′na-um, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” 26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal.” 28 Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” 30 So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘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; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”

35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39 and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal 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 They said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Every one who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. 46 Not that any one has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread[c] which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

52 The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”[d] 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you; 54 he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live for ever.” 59 This he said in the synagogue, as he taught at Caper′na-um.

The Words of Eternal Life

60 Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending where he was before?[e] 63 It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But there are some of you that do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe, and who it was that should betray him. 65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him. 67 Jesus said to the twelve, “Will you also go away?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was to betray him.

Footnotes

  1. John 6:7 The denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer
  2. John 6:19 Greek twenty-five or thirty stadia
  3. 6.51 Jesus is the “living bread” both as Word of God (verses 32ff) and as sacrificial victim for the salvation of man.
  4. 6.52 A natural question to ask. Jesus answers, not by explaining it away, but by re-emphasizing the reality, though not, of course, in the crude sense implied in their question.
  5. 6.62 When Jesus ascends into heaven they will know that he spoke the truth.

給五千人吃飽的神蹟(A)

這些事以後,耶穌渡過加利利海,就是提比里亞海。 有一大群人,因為看見了他在病人身上所行的神蹟,就跟隨了他。 耶穌上了山,同門徒坐在那裡。 那時猶太人的逾越節近了。 耶穌舉目觀看,見一大群人向他走過來,就對腓力說:“我們從哪裡買餅給這些人吃呢?” 他說這話,是要試驗腓力,因他自己早已知道要怎樣作。 腓力回答:“就算二百銀幣買的餅,每人分一點,也是不夠的。” 有一個門徒,就是西門.彼得的弟弟安得烈,對耶穌說: “這裡有個小孩子,帶著五個大麥餅、兩條魚;只是分給這麼多人,有甚麼用呢?” 10 耶穌吩咐他們:“你們叫眾人坐下。”原來那地方的草很多,眾人就坐下,單是男人的數目約有五千。 11 耶穌拿起餅來,祝謝了,就分給坐著的人;分魚也是這樣,都是隨著他們所要的。 12 他們吃飽了之後,耶穌對門徒說:“把剩下的零碎收拾起來,免得浪費。” 13 門徒就把眾人吃剩那五個大麥餅的零碎收拾起來,裝滿了十二個籃子。 14 眾人看見耶穌所行的神蹟,就說:“這真是那要到世上來的先知。” 15 耶穌知道群眾要來強迫他作王,就獨自又退到山上去了。

耶穌在海面上行走(B)

16 到了晚上,他的門徒下到海邊去。 17 他們上了船,要渡海往迦百農去。那時天已經黑了,耶穌還沒有到他們那裡。 18 忽然海上起了狂風,波浪翻騰。 19 門徒搖櫓約行了五六公里,看見耶穌在海面上行走,漸漸靠近船,就害怕起來。 20 耶穌對他們說:“是我,不要怕。” 21 他們這才把他接上船,船就立刻到了他們要去的地方。

耶穌是生命的食物

22 第二天,站在海那邊的群眾,看見只有一隻小船留在那裡,並且知道耶穌沒有和他的門徒一同上船,門徒是自己去的; 23 不過有幾隻從提比里亞來的船停在那裡,靠近他們在主祝謝以後吃餅的地方。 24 群眾見耶穌和門徒都不在那裡,就上船往迦百農去找耶穌。 25 他們在對岸找到了耶穌,就問他:“拉比,你幾時到這裡來的?” 26 耶穌回答:“我實實在在告訴你們,你們找我,不是因為看見了神蹟,而是因為吃了餅又吃飽了。 27 不要為那必朽壞的食物操勞,卻要為那存到永生的食物操勞,就是人子所要賜給你們的,因為人子是父 神所印證的。” 28 眾人又問他:“我們應該作甚麼,才算是作 神的工作呢?” 29 耶穌回答:“信 神所差來的,就是作 神的工了。” 30 於是他們就說:“你要行甚麼神蹟,讓我們看了就信你呢?你到底能作甚麼呢? 31 我們的祖宗在曠野吃過嗎哪,正如經上所記:‘他把從天上來的食物賜給他們吃。’” 32 耶穌對他們說:“我實實在在告訴你們,不是摩西把那從天上來的食物賜給你們,而是我父把天上來的真食物賜給你們; 33 因為 神的食物就是從天上降下來,把生命賜給世人的那一位。”

34 他們對耶穌說:“主啊,求你常把這食物賜給我們。” 35 耶穌說:“我就是生命的食物,到我這裡來的,必定不餓;信我的,永遠不渴。 36 但我告訴你們,你們雖然見了我,還是不信。 37 凡是父賜給我的人,必到我這裡來;到我這裡來的,我決不丟棄他, 38 因為我從天上降下來,不是要行自己的意思,而是要行那差我來者的旨意。 39 那差我來者的旨意就是:他所賜給我的人,我連一個也不失落,並且在末日我要使他們復活。 40 因為我父的旨意,是要使所有看見了子而信的人有永生,並且在末日我要使他們復活。”

41 猶太人因為耶穌說“我是從天上降下來的食物”,就紛紛議論他。 42 他們說:“這不是約瑟的兒子耶穌嗎?他的父母我們不都認識嗎?他現在怎麼說‘我是從天上降下來的’呢?” 43 耶穌回答:“你們不要彼此議論。 44 如果不是差我來的父吸引人,就沒有人能到我這裡來;到我這裡來的,在末日我要使他復活。 45 先知書上記著:‘眾人都必受 神的教導。’凡聽見從父那裡來的教訓而又學習的,必到我這裡來。 46 這不是說有人見過父;只有從 神那裡來的那一位,他才見過父。 47 我實實在在告訴你們,信的人有永生。 48 我就是生命的食物, 49 你們的祖宗在曠野吃過嗎哪,還是死了。 50 這是從天上降下來的食物,使人吃了就不死。 51 我就是從天上降下來生命的食物,人若吃了這食物,就必活到永遠。我要賜的食物就是我的肉,是為了世人的生命而賜的。”

52 於是,猶太人彼此爭論,說:“這個人怎能把他的肉給我們吃呢?” 53 耶穌就對他們說:“我實實在在告訴你們,你們若不吃人子的肉,不喝人子的血,就沒有生命在你們裡面。 54 吃我肉、喝我血的,就有永生,在末日我要使他復活; 55 因為我的肉是真正的食物,我的血是真正的飲料。 56 吃我肉、喝我血的人,就住在我裡面,我也住在他裡面。 57 正如永活的父差遣了我,我也因父活著;照樣,吃我肉的人也必因我而活。 58 這就是從天上降下來的食物,不像嗎哪,你們的祖宗吃過,還是死了;吃這食物的,必活到永遠。” 59 這些話是耶穌在迦百農會堂裡教導人的時候說的。

永生之道

60 他的門徒中,有許多人聽了,就說:“這話很難,誰能接受呢?” 61 耶穌心裡知道門徒為了這事議論紛紛,就對他們說:“這話使你們動搖嗎? 62 如果你們看見人子升到他原來所在的地方,又怎樣呢? 63 使人活的是靈,肉體是無濟於事的。我對你們所說的話是靈、是生命。 64 然而你們中間卻有不信的人。”原來從起初耶穌就知道那些不信的是誰,那要把他出賣的又是誰。 65 耶穌跟著說:“所以我對你們說過,如果不是父所賜的,沒有人能到我這裡來。”

66 從此,他的門徒中有許多人退去了,不再與他同行。 67 於是耶穌對十二門徒說:“你們也想離去嗎?” 68 西門.彼得回答:“主啊,你有永生之道,我們還跟從誰呢? 69 我們已經相信,並且知道你是 神的聖者。” 70 耶穌說:“我不是揀選了你們十二個人嗎?但你們中間有一個是魔鬼。” 71 耶穌這話是指著加略人西門的兒子猶大說的,因為他雖然是十二門徒之一,卻要出賣耶穌。

Chapter 6

Multiplication of the Loaves.[a] (A)After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee [of Tiberias].[b] A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The Jewish feast of Passover was near.(B) [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?” [d]He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. 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) One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “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

  1. 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.
  2. 6:1 [Of Tiberias]: the awkward apposition represents a later name of the Sea of Galilee. It was probably originally a marginal gloss.
  3. 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).
  4. 6:6 Probably the evangelist’s comment; in this gospel Jesus is never portrayed as ignorant of anything.
  5. 6:7 Days’ wages: literally, “denarii”; a Roman denarius is a day’s wage in Mt 20:2.
  6. 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.
  7. 6:10 Grass: implies springtime, and therefore Passover. Five thousand: so Mk 6:39, 44 and parallels.
  8. 6:13 Baskets: the word describes the typically Palestinian wicker basket, as in Mk 6:43 and parallels.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.”
  12. 6:20 It is I: literally, “I am.” See also notes on Jn 4:26 and Mk 6:50.
  13. 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.
  14. 6:23 Possibly a later interpolation, to explain how the crowd got to Capernaum.
  15. 6:27 The food that endures for eternal life: cf. Jn 4:14, on water “springing up to eternal life.”
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 6:43 Murmuring: the word may reflect the Greek of Ex 16:2, 7–8.
  19. 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.”
  20. 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.
  21. 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.
  22. 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.