⁷ When Jotham^(A) was told about this, he climbed up on the top of Mount Gerizim^(B) and shouted to them, “Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, so that God may listen to you. ⁸ One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

⁹ “But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹⁰ “Next, the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹¹ “But the fig tree replied, ‘Should I give up my fruit, so good and sweet, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹² “Then the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹³ “But the vine answered, ‘Should I give up my wine,^(C) which cheers both gods and humans, to hold sway over the trees?’

¹⁴ “Finally all the trees said to the thornbush, ‘Come and be our king.’

¹⁵ “The thornbush said to the trees, ‘If you really want to anoint me king over you, come and take refuge in my shade;^(D) but if not, then let fire come out^(E) of the thornbush and consume the cedars of Lebanon!’^(F)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(A) the bread of life.^(B) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(C) in me will never be thirsty.^{(D) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(E) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(F) not to do my will but to do the will^(G) of him who sent me.^{(H) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(I) but raise them up at the last day.^{(J) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(K) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(L) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

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

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(P) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[a](Q) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(R) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(S) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(T) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(U) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(V) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(W) that came down from heaven.^(X) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(Y)