⁴⁸ I am the bread of life.^{(A) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(B) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(C) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(D) that came down from heaven.^(E) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(F)

⁵² Then the Jews^(G) began to argue sharply among themselves,^(H) “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^(I) of the Son of Man^(J) and drink his blood,^(K) 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.^{(L) 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.^{(M) 57} Just as the living Father sent me^(N) 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.”^{(O) 59} He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

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

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(R) 62} Then what if you see the Son of Man^(S) ascend to where he was before!^{(T) 63} The Spirit gives life;^(U) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^(V) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{(W) 65} He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^(X)

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples^(Y) turned back and no longer followed him.