John 6:16-24

Expanded Bible

Jesus Walks on the Water^(A)

¹⁶ That evening Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] went down to ·Lake Galilee [^Lthe lake/sea]. ¹⁷ It was dark now, and Jesus had not yet ·come to [joined] them. The ·followers [disciples] got into a boat and started across the lake to Capernaum. ¹⁸ By now a strong wind was blowing, and ·the waves on the lake were getting bigger [^Lthe sea/lake rose up]. ¹⁹ When they had rowed the boat about ·three or four miles [^Ltwenty-five or thirty stadia; ^Ca stadion was about 600 feet], they saw Jesus walking on the ·water [sea; lake], coming toward the boat. The ·followers [disciples] were afraid, ²⁰ but Jesus said to them, “It is I [or “I am”; ^Cthere could be an echo here of Ex. 3:14]. Do not be afraid.” ²¹ Then they ·were glad [or were willing] to take him into the boat. ·At once [Immediately] the boat came to land at the place where they wanted to go. [^CThe sea often stands for chaos, and God controls it.]

The People Seek Jesus

²² The next day the ·people [^Lcrowd] who had stayed on the ·other [opposite] side of the ·lake [sea] knew that Jesus had not gone in the boat with his ·followers [disciples] but that they had left ·without him [^Lalone]. And they ·knew [^Lsaw] that only one boat had been there. ²³ But then some boats came from Tiberias [^Ca major city on the western shore of Lake Galilee] and landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ When the ·people [^Lcrowd] saw that Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] were not there now, they got into boats and went to Capernaum to find Jesus.