John 6

More than Five Thousand Fed

1 After this, Jesus went across Lake Galilee (or, Lake Tiberias).2 Many people followed him because they saw the miracles he did to heal the sick.3 Jesus went up on a hill and sat down there with his followers.

4 It was almost the time for the Jewish Passover Feast.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough bread for all these people to eat?”

6 (Jesus asked Philip this question to test him, because Jesus already knew what he planned to do.)

7 Philip answered, “Someone would have to work almost a year to buy enough bread for each person to have only a little piece.”
8 Another one of his followers, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said,

9 “Here is a boy with five loaves of barley bread and two little fish, but that is not enough for so many people.”
10 Jesus said, “Tell the people to sit down.” There was plenty of grass there, and about five thousand men sat down there.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves of bread, thanked God for them, and gave them to the people who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, giving as much as the people wanted.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, Jesus said to his followers, “Gather the leftover pieces of fish and bread so that nothing is wasted.”

13 So they gathered up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with the pieces left from the five barley loaves.
14 When the people saw this miracle that Jesus did, they said, “He must truly be the Prophet 

15 Jesus knew that the people planned to come and take him by force and make him their king, so he left and went into the hills alone.

Jesus Walks on the Water

16 That evening Jesus’ followers went down to Lake Galilee.17 It was dark now, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The followers 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.19 When they had rowed the boat about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the water, coming toward the boat. The followers were afraid,20 but Jesus said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”

21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat. At once the boat came to land at the place where they wanted to go.

The People Seek Jesus

22 The next day the people who had stayed on the other side of the lake knew that Jesus had not gone in the boat with his followers but that they had left without him. And they knew that only one boat had been there.23 But then some boats came from Tiberias and landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

24 When the people saw that Jesus and his followers were not there now, they got into boats and went to Capernaum to find Jesus.

Jesus, the Bread of Life

25 When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Teacher, when did you come here?”
26 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you aren’t looking for me because you saw me do miracles. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied.

27 Don’t work for the food that spoils. Work for the food that stays good always and gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because on him God the Father has put his power.”

28 The people asked Jesus, “What are the things God wants us to do?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent.”
30 So the people asked, “What miracle will you do? If we see a miracle, we will believe you. What will you do?31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the desert. This is written in the Scriptures: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven; it is my Father who is giving you the true bread from heaven.

33 God’s bread is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

34 The people said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you before, you have seen me and still don’t believe. 37 The Father gives me the people who are mine. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them. 38 I came down from heaven to do what God wants me to do, not what I want to do. 39 Here is what the One who sent me wants me to do: I must not lose even one whom God gave me, but I must raise them all on the last day.

40 Those who see the Son and believe in him have eternal life, and I will raise them on the last day. This is what my Father wants.”
41 Some people began to complain about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that comes down from heaven.”

42 They said, “This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”
43 But Jesus answered, “Stop complaining to each other. 44 The Father is the One who sent me. No one can come to me unless the Father draws him to me, and I will raise that person up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ 46 No one has seen the Father except the One who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, whoever believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread that gives life. 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but still they died. 50 Here is the bread that comes down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will never die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give up so that the world may have life.”

52 Then the evil people began to argue among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, you must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. Otherwise, you won’t have real life in you. 54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day. 55 My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. 57 The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father. So whoever eats me will live because of me. 58 I am not like the bread your ancestors ate. They ate that bread and still died. I am the bread that came down from heaven, and whoever eats this bread will live forever.”

59 Jesus said all these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The Words of Eternal Life

60 When the followers of Jesus heard this, many of them said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?”
61 Knowing that his followers were complaining about this, Jesus said, “Does this teaching bother you? 62 Then will it also bother you to see the Son of Man going back to the place where he came from? 63 It is the Spirit that gives life. The flesh doesn’t give life. The words I told you are spirit, and they give life. 64 But some of you don’t believe.” (Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would turn against him.)

65 Jesus said, “That is the reason I said, ‘If the Father does not bring a person to me, that one cannot come.’ ”

66 After Jesus said this, many of his followers left him and stopped following him.

67 Jesus asked the twelve followers, “Do you want to leave, too?”
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, who would we go to? You have the words that give eternal life.

69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One from God.”

70 Then Jesus answered, “I chose all twelve of you, but one of you is a devil.”
71 Jesus was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was one of the twelve, but later he was going to turn against Jesus.

John 6

1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.2 And a great multitude followed him, because they beheld the signs which he did on them that were sick.3 And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.4 Now the passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.5 Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude cometh unto him, saith unto Philip, Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat?6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.7 Philip answered him, Two hundred shillings’ worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one may take a little.8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,9 There is a lad here, who hath five barley loaves, and two fishes: but what are these among so many?10 Jesus said, Make the people sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.11 Jesus therefore took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to them that were set down; likewise also of the fishes as much as they would.12 And when they were filled, he saith unto his disciples, Gather up the broken pieces which remain over, that nothing be lost.13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which remained over unto them that had eaten.14 When therefore the people saw the sign which he did, they said, This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world.15 Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain himself alone.16 And when evening came, his disciples went down unto the sea;17 and they entered into a boat, and were going over the sea unto Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.18 And the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew.19 When therefore they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they behold Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the boat: and they were afraid.20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.21 They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat: and straightway the boat was at the land whither they were going.22 On the morrow the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, save one, and that Jesus entered not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples went away alone23 (howbeit there came boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks):24 when the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.25 And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled.27 Work not for the food which perisheth, but for the food which abideth unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed.28 They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.30 They said therefore unto him, What then doest thou for a sign, that we may see, and believe thee? what workest thou?31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.32 Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, It was not Moses that gave you the bread out of heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread out of heaven.33 For the bread of God is that which cometh down out of heaven, and giveth life unto the world.34 They said therefore unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.35 Jesus said unto them. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.36 But I said unto you, that ye have seen me, and yet believe not.37 All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.38 For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.41 The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven.42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how doth he now say, I am come down out of heaven?43 Jesus answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.44 No man can come to me, except the Father that sent me draw him: and I will raise him up in the last day.45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall all be taught of God. Every one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me.46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he that is from God, he hath seen the Father.47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth hath eternal life.48 I am the bread of life.49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.50 This is the bread which cometh down out of heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.52 The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?53 Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.54 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day.55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him.57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven: not as the fathers ate, and died; he that eateth this bread shall live for ever.59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?61 But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said unto them, Doth this cause you to stumble?62 What then if ye should behold the Son of man ascending where he was before?63 It is the spirit that giveth life; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life.64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who it was that should betray him.65 And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.66 Upon this many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.67 Jesus said therefore unto the twelve, Would ye also go away?68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.69 And we have believed and know that thou art the Holy One of God.70 Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?71 Now he spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.