Jesus Walks on the Water^(A)(B)

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.^(C) Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,”^(D) they said, and cried out in fear.

²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage!^(E) It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^(F)

²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

²⁹ “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,”^(G) he said, “why did you doubt?”

³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”^(H)

³⁴ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. ³⁵ And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him ³⁶ and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak,^(I) and all who touched it were healed.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(A)(B)

⁴⁵ Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat^(C) and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida,^(D) while he dismissed the crowd. ⁴⁶ After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.^(E)

⁴⁷ Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. ⁴⁸ He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, ⁴⁹ but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.^(F) They cried out, ⁵⁰ because they all saw him and were terrified.

Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”^{(G) 51} Then he climbed into the boat^(H) with them, and the wind died down.^(I) They were completely amazed, ⁵² for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.^(J)

⁵³ When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there.^{(K) 54} As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. ⁵⁵ They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak,^(L) and all who touched it were healed.

Jesus Walks on the Water^(A)

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

²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake^(D) 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.^{(E) 23} Then some boats from Tiberias^(F) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.^{(G) 24} Once 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

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

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(I) not because you saw the signs^(J) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures^(K) to eternal life,^(L) which the Son of Man^(M) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(N) of approval.”

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

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

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign^(Q) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?^(R) What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna^(S) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[b]”^(T)

³² Jesus 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. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven^(U) and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”^(V)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(W) the bread of life.^(X) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(Y) in me will never be thirsty.^{(Z) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(AA) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(AB) not to do my will but to do the will^(AC) of him who sent me.^{(AD) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(AE) but raise them up at the last day.^{(AF) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(AG) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(AH) 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,^(AI) whose father and mother we know?^(AJ) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(AK)

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(AL) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[c](AM) 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;^(AN) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(AO) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(AP) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(AQ) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(AR) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(AS) that came down from heaven.^(AT) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(AU)

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

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh^(AX) of the Son of Man^(AY) and drink his blood,^(AZ) you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^{(BA) 55} For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.^{(BB) 57} Just as the living Father sent me^(BC) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^{(BD) 59} He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.