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), ²and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs^(B) he had performed by healing the sick. ³Then Jesus went up on a mountainside^(C) and sat down with his disciples. ⁴The Jewish Passover Festival^(D) was near.

⁵When 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?” ⁶He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

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

⁸Another 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)

¹⁰Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹Jesus 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.

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

¹⁴After 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) ¹⁵Jesus, 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)

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

²²The 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) ²³Then some boats from Tiberias^(R) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.^(S) ²⁴Once 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

²⁵When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,^(T) when did you get here?”

²⁶Jesus 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. ²⁷Do 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.”

²⁸Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(AA) in the one he has sent.”^(AB)

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

³²Jesus 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. ³³For 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)

³⁵Then 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) ³⁶But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷All those the Father gives me^(AM) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven^(AN) not to do my will but to do the will^(AO) of him who sent me.^(AP) ³⁹And 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) ⁴⁰For 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.”

⁴¹At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴²They 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. ⁴⁵It 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. ⁴⁶No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(AZ) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^(BA) ⁴⁸I am the bread of life.^(BB) ⁴⁹Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^(BC) ⁵⁰But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(BD) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹I 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)

⁵²Then the Jews^(BH) began to argue sharply among themselves,^(BI) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³Jesus 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. ⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^(BM) ⁵⁵For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.^(BN) ⁵⁷Just 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. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^(BP) ⁵⁹He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

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

⁶¹Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^(BS) ⁶²Then what if you see the Son of Man^(BT) ascend to where he was before!^(BU) ⁶³The 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. ⁶⁴Yet 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) ⁶⁵He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^(BY)

⁶⁶From 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)

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

⁷⁰Then 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

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

Isaiah 66 - Jeremiah 2

New International Version

Judgment and Hope

66 This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,^(A)
    and the earth is my footstool.^(B)
Where is the house^(C) you will build for me?
    Where will my resting place be?
²Has not my hand made all these things,^(D)
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,^(E)
    and who tremble at my word.^(F)
³But whoever sacrifices a bull^(G)
    is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is like one who presents pig’s^(H) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense^(I)
    is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,^(J)
    and they delight in their abominations;^(K)
⁴so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
    and will bring on them what they dread.^(L)
For when I called, no one answered,^(M)
    when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil^(N) in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”^(O)

⁵Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word:^(P)
“Your own people who hate^(Q) you,
    and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
    that we may see your joy!’
    Yet they will be put to shame.^(R)
⁶Hear that uproar from the city,
    hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound^(S) of the Lord
    repaying^(T) his enemies all they deserve.

⁷“Before she goes into labor,^(U)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.^(V)
⁸Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen^(W) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day^(X)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.^(Y)
⁹Do I bring to the moment of birth^(Z)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
¹⁰“Rejoice^(AA) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love^(AB) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn^(AC) over her.
¹¹For you will nurse^(AD) and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;^(AE)
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”^(AF)

¹²For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace^(AG) to her like a river,^(AH)
    and the wealth^(AI) of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried^(AJ) on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
¹³As a mother comforts her child,^(AK)
    so will I comfort^(AL) you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

¹⁴When you see this, your heart will rejoice^(AM)
    and you will flourish^(AN) like grass;
the hand^(AO) of the Lord will be made known to his servants,^(AP)
    but his fury^(AQ) will be shown to his foes.
¹⁵See, the Lord is coming with fire,^(AR)
    and his chariots^(AS) are like a whirlwind;^(AT)
he will bring down his anger with fury,
    and his rebuke^(AU) with flames of fire.
¹⁶For with fire^(AV) and with his sword^(AW)
    the Lord will execute judgment^(AX) on all people,
    and many will be those slain^(AY) by the Lord.

¹⁷“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens,^(AZ) following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs,^(BA) rats^(BB) and other unclean things—they will meet their end^(BC) together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.

¹⁸“And I, because of what they have planned and done,^(BD) am about to come^[a] and gather the people of all nations^(BE) and languages, and they will come and see my glory.^(BF)

¹⁹“I will set a sign^(BG) among them, and I will send some of those who survive^(BH) to the nations—to Tarshish,^(BI) to the Libyans^[b] and Lydians^(BJ) (famous as archers), to Tubal^(BK) and Greece,^(BL) and to the distant islands^(BM) that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.^(BN) They will proclaim my glory among the nations. ²⁰And they will bring^(BO) all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain^(BP) in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,”^(BQ) says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.^(BR) ²¹And I will select some of them also to be priests^(BS) and Levites,” says the Lord.

²²“As the new heavens and the new earth^(BT) that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure.^(BU) ²³From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath^(BV) to another, all mankind will come and bow down^(BW) before me,” says the Lord. ²⁴“And they will go out and look on the dead bodies^(BX) of those who rebelled^(BY) against me; the worms^(BZ) that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched,^(CA) and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth^(CB) in the territory of Benjamin. ²The word of the Lord came^(CC) to him in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah^(CD) son of Amon king of Judah, ³and through the reign of Jehoiakim^(CE) son of Josiah king of Judah, down to the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah^(CF) son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.^(CG)

The Call of Jeremiah

⁴The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

⁵“Before I formed you in the womb^(CH) I knew^[c]^(CI) you,
before you were born^(CJ) I set you apart;^(CK)
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.^(CL)”

⁶“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;^(CM) I am too young.”^(CN)

⁷But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. ⁸Do not be afraid^(CO) of them, for I am with you^(CP) and will rescue^(CQ) you,” declares the Lord.^(CR)

⁹Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched^(CS) my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.^(CT) ¹⁰See, today I appoint you over nations^(CU) and kingdoms to uproot^(CV) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”^(CW)

¹¹The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”^(CX)

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

¹²The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching^[d]^(CY) to see that my word is fulfilled.”

¹³The word of the Lord came to me again: “What do you see?”^(CZ)

“I see a pot that is boiling,” I answered. “It is tilting toward us from the north.”

¹⁴The Lord said to me, “From the north^(DA) disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. ¹⁵I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the Lord.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
    in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
    and against all the towns of Judah.^(DB)
¹⁶I will pronounce my judgments^(DC) on my people
    because of their wickedness^(DD) in forsaking me,^(DE)
in burning incense to other gods^(DF)
    and in worshiping^(DG) what their hands have made.^(DH)

¹⁷“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say^(DI) to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified^(DJ) by them, or I will terrify you before them. ¹⁸Today I have made you^(DK) a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. ¹⁹They will fight against you but will not overcome^(DL) you, for I am with you^(DM) and will rescue^(DN) you,” declares the Lord.

Israel Forsakes God

2 The word^(DO) of the Lord came to me: ²“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,^(DP)
    how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,^(DQ)
    through a land not sown.
³Israel was holy^(DR) to the Lord,^(DS)
    the firstfruits^(DT) of his harvest;
all who devoured^(DU) her were held guilty,^(DV)
    and disaster overtook them,’”
declares the Lord.

⁴Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
all you clans of Israel.

⁵This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
    that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols^(DW)
    and became worthless^(DX) themselves.
⁶They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
    who brought us up out of Egypt^(DY)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
    through a land of deserts^(DZ) and ravines,^(EA)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
    a land where no one travels^(EB) and no one lives?’
⁷I brought you into a fertile land
    to eat its fruit and rich produce.^(EC)
But you came and defiled my land
    and made my inheritance detestable.^(ED)
⁸The priests did not ask,
    ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;^(EE)
    the leaders^(EF) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,^(EG)
    following worthless idols.^(EH)

⁹“Therefore I bring charges^(EI) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
    “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
¹⁰Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus^(EJ) and look,
    send to Kedar^[e]^(EK) and observe closely;
    see if there has ever been anything like this:
¹¹Has a nation ever changed its gods?
    (Yet they are not gods^(EL) at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious^(EM) God
    for worthless idols.
¹²Be appalled at this, you heavens,
    and shudder with great horror,”
declares the Lord.
¹³“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken^(EN) me,
    the spring of living water,^(EO)
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
¹⁴Is Israel a servant, a slave^(EP) by birth?
    Why then has he become plunder?
¹⁵Lions^(EQ) have roared;
    they have growled at him.
They have laid waste^(ER) his land;
    his towns are burned^(ES) and deserted.^(ET)
¹⁶Also, the men of Memphis^(EU) and Tahpanhes^(EV)
    have cracked your skull.
¹⁷Have you not brought this on yourselves^(EW)
    by forsaking^(EX) the Lord your God
    when he led you in the way?
¹⁸Now why go to Egypt^(EY)
    to drink water from the Nile^[f]?^(EZ)
And why go to Assyria^(FA)
    to drink water from the Euphrates?^(FB)
¹⁹Your wickedness will punish you;
    your backsliding^(FC) will rebuke^(FD) you.
Consider then and realize
    how evil and bitter^(FE) it is for you
when you forsake^(FF) the Lord your God
    and have no awe^(FG) of me,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

²⁰“Long ago you broke off your yoke^(FH)
    and tore off your bonds;^(FI)
    you said, ‘I will not serve you!’^(FJ)
Indeed, on every high hill^(FK)
    and under every spreading tree^(FL)
    you lay down as a prostitute.^(FM)
²¹I had planted^(FN) you like a choice vine^(FO)
    of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
    into a corrupt,^(FP) wild vine?
²²Although you wash^(FQ) yourself with soap^(FR)
    and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
    the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.^(FS)
²³“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;^(FT)
    I have not run after the Baals’?^(FU)
See how you behaved in the valley;^(FV)
    consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
    running^(FW) here and there,
²⁴a wild donkey^(FX) accustomed to the desert,^(FY)
    sniffing the wind in her craving—
    in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
    at mating time they will find her.
²⁵Do not run until your feet are bare
    and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!^(FZ)
    I love foreign gods,^(GA)
    and I must go after them.’^(GB)

²⁶“As a thief is disgraced^(GC) when he is caught,
    so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
    their priests^(GD) and their prophets.^(GE)
²⁷They say to wood,^(GF) ‘You are my father,’
    and to stone,^(GG) ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs^(GH) to me
    and not their faces;^(GI)
yet when they are in trouble,^(GJ) they say,
    ‘Come and save^(GK) us!’
²⁸Where then are the gods^(GL) you made for yourselves?
    Let them come if they can save you
    when you are in trouble!^(GM)
For you, Judah, have as many gods
    as you have towns.^(GN)

²⁹“Why do you bring charges against me?
    You have all^(GO) rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
³⁰“In vain I punished your people;
    they did not respond to correction.^(GP)
Your sword has devoured your prophets^(GQ)
    like a ravenous lion.

³¹“You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord:

“Have I been a desert to Israel
    or a land of great darkness?^(GR)
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;
    we will come to you no more’?^(GS)
³²Does a young woman forget her jewelry,
    a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten^(GT) me,
    days without number.
³³How skilled you are at pursuing^(GU) love!
    Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
³⁴On your clothes is found
    the lifeblood^(GV) of the innocent poor,
    though you did not catch them breaking in.^(GW)
Yet in spite of all this
³⁵    you say, ‘I am innocent;^(GX)
    he is not angry with me.’
But I will pass judgment^(GY) on you
    because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’^(GZ)
³⁶Why do you go about so much,
    changing^(HA) your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt^(HB)
    as you were by Assyria.
³⁷You will also leave that place
    with your hands on your head,^(HC)
for the Lord has rejected those you trust;
    you will not be helped^(HD) by them.

Footnotes

Isaiah 66:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Isaiah 66:19 Some Septuagint manuscripts Put (Libyans); Hebrew Pul
Jeremiah 1:5 Or chose
Jeremiah 1:12 The Hebrew for watching sounds like the Hebrew for almond tree.
Jeremiah 2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert
Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew Shihor; that is, a branch of the Nile