John 6

The Fourth Sign: Feeding 5,000

1 After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 And a huge crowd was following Him because they saw the signs that He was performing by [healing] the sick.

3 So Jesus went up a mountain and sat down there with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a Jewish festival, was near. 5 Therefore, when Jesus looked up and noticed a huge crowd coming toward Him, He asked Philip, "Where will we buy bread so these people can eat?"

6  He asked this to test him, for He Himself knew what He was going to do.

7 Philip answered, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread wouldn't be enough for each of them to have a little."
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him,

9 "There's a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish-but what are they for so many?"

10 Then Jesus said, "Have the people sit down."
There was plenty of grass in that place, so they sat down. The men numbered about 5,000.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were seated-so also with the fish, as much as they wanted.
12 When they were full, He told His disciples, "Collect the leftovers so that nothing is wasted."

13 So they collected them and filled 12 baskets with the pieces from the five barley loaves that were left over by those who had eaten.
14 When the people saw the sign He had done, they said, "This really is the Prophet who was to come into the world!"

15 Therefore, when Jesus knew that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He withdrew again to the mountain by Himself.

The Fifth Sign: Walking on Water

16 When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 Then a high wind arose, and the sea began to churn.

19 After they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they were afraid.
20 But He said to them, "It is I. Don't be afraid!"

21 Then they were willing to take Him on board, and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading.

The Bread of Life

22 The next day, the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea knew there had been only one boat. [They also knew] that Jesus had not boarded the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone off alone. 23 Some boats from Tiberias came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord gave thanks.

24 When the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.

25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?"
26 Jesus answered, "I assure you: You are looking for Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.

27 Don't work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal of approval on Him."

28 "What can we do to perform the works of God?" they asked.

29 Jesus replied, "This is the work of God-that you believe in the One He has sent."
30 "What sign then are You going to do so we may see and believe You?" they asked. "What are You going to perform?

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat."
32 Jesus said to them, "I assure you: Moses didn't give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the real bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34 Then they said, "Sir, give us this bread always!"
35 "I am the bread of life," Jesus told them. "No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again. 36 But as I told you, you've seen Me, and yet you do not believe. 37 Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me: that I should lose none of those He has given Me but should raise them up on the last day.

40 For this is the will of My Father: that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."
41 Therefore the Jews started complaining about Him because He said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

42 They were saying, "Isn't this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can He now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
43 Jesus answered them, "Stop complaining among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: And they will all be taught by God. Everyone who has listened to and learned from the Father comes to Me-

46 not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God. He has seen the Father.
47 "I assure you: Anyone who believes has 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 that comes down from heaven so that anyone may eat of it and not die.

51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever. The bread that I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."

52 At that, the Jews argued among themselves, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?"
53 So Jesus said to them, "I assure you: Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 Anyone who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day, 55 because My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink. 56 The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood lives in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me 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; it is not like the manna your fathers ate-and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever."

59 He said these things while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 Therefore, when many of His disciples heard this, they said, "This teaching is hard! Who can accept it?"
61 Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples were complaining about this, asked them, "Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn't help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some among you who don't believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would not believe and the one who would betray Him.)

65 He said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father."
66 From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him.

67 Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, "You don't want to go away too, do you?"
68 Simon Peter answered, "Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life.

69 We have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God!"
70 Jesus replied to them, "Didn't I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is the Devil!"

71 He was referring to Judas, Simon Iscariot's son, one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray Him.

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.