John 6

Jesus Feeds More Than Five Thousand—Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17

1 Jesus later crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or the Sea of Tiberias).2 A large crowd followed him because they saw the miracles that he performed for the sick.3 Jesus went up a mountain and sat with his disciples.

4 The time for the Jewish Passover festival was near.
5 As Jesus saw a large crowd coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”

6 Jesus asked this question to test him but already knew what to do.
7 Philip answered, “We would need about a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each of them to have a piece.”8 One of Jesus’ disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter’s brother, told him,

9 “A boy who has five loaves of barley bread and two small fish is here. But they won’t go very far for so many people.”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.”The people had plenty of grass to sit on. (There were about 5,000 men in the crowd.)11 Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to the people who were sitting there. He did the same thing with the fish. All the people ate as much as they wanted.12 When the people were full, Jesus told his disciples, “Gather the leftover pieces so that nothing will be wasted.”

13 The disciples gathered the leftover pieces of bread and filled twelve baskets.
14 When the people saw the miracle Jesus performed, they said, “This man is certainly the prophet who is to come into the world.”

15 Jesus realized that the people intended to take him by force and make him king. So he returned to the mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on the Sea—Matthew 14:22–33; Mark 6:45–52

16 When evening came, his disciples went to the sea.17 They got into a boat and started to cross the sea to the city of Capernaum. By this time it was dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

18 A strong wind started to blow and stir up the sea.
19 After they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they became terrified.20 Jesus told them, “It’s me. Don’t be afraid!”21 So they were willing to help Jesus into the boat. Immediately, the boat reached the shore where they were going.

Jesus Is the Bread of Life

22 On the next day the people were still on the other side of the sea. They noticed that only one boat was there and that Jesus had not stepped into that boat with his disciples. The disciples had gone away without him.23 Other boats from Tiberias arrived near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord gave thanks.24 When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into these boats and went to the city of Capernaum to look for Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”
26 Jesus replied to them, “I can guarantee this truth: You’re not looking for me because you saw miracles. You are looking for me because you ate as much of those loaves as you wanted.

27 Don’t work for food that spoils. Instead, work for the food that lasts into eternal life. This is the food the Son of Man will give you. After all, the Father has placed his seal of approval on him.”
28 The people asked Jesus, “What does God want us to do?”29 Jesus replied to them, “God wants to do something for you so that you believe in the one whom he has sent.”30 The people asked him, “What miracle are you going to perform so that we can see it and believe in you? What are you going to do?

31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the desert. Scripture says, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”
32 Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33 God’s bread is the man who comes from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread all the time.”35 Jesus told them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never become hungry, and whoever believes in me will never become thirsty.36 I’ve told you that you have seen me. However, you don’t believe in me.37 Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me.38 I haven’t come from heaven to do what I want to do. I’ve come to do what the one who sent me wants me to do.39 The one who sent me doesn’t want me to lose any of those he gave me. He wants me to bring them back to life on the last day.

40 My Father wants all those who see the Son and believe in him to have eternal life. He wants me to bring them back to life on the last day.”
41 The Jews began to criticize Jesus for saying, “I am the bread that came from heaven.”

42 They asked, “Isn’t this man Jesus, Joseph’s son? Don’t we know his father and mother? How can he say now, ‘I came from heaven’?”
43 Jesus responded, “Stop criticizing me!44 People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them to me. I will bring these people back to life on the last day.45 The prophets wrote, ‘God will teach everyone.’ Those who do what they have learned from the Father come to me.46 I’m saying that no one has seen the Father. Only the one who is from God has seen the Father.

47 I can guarantee this truth: Every believer has eternal life.
48 “I am the bread of life.49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert and died.50 This is the bread that comes from heaven so that whoever eats it won’t die.

51 I am the living bread that came from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. The bread I will give to bring life to the world is my flesh.”
52 The Jews began to quarrel with each other. They said, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”53 Jesus told them, “I can guarantee this truth: If you don’t eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have the source of life in you.54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will bring them back to life 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 Father who has life sent me, and I live because of the Father. So those who feed on me will live because of me.

58 This is the bread that came from heaven. It is not like the bread your ancestors ate. They eventually died. Those who eat this bread will live forever.”
59 Jesus said this while he was teaching in a synagogue in Capernaum.

60 When many of Jesus’ disciples heard him, they said, “What he says is hard to accept. Who wants to listen to him anymore?”
61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were criticizing his message. So Jesus asked them, “Did what I say make you lose faith?62 What if you see the Son of Man go where he was before?63 Life is spiritual. Your physical existence doesn’t contribute to that life. The words that I have spoken to you are spiritual. They are life.64 But some of you don’t believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning those who wouldn’t believe and the one who would betray him.

65 So he added, “That is why I told you that people cannot come to me unless the Father provides the way.”
66 Jesus’ speech made many of his disciples go back to the lives they had led before they followed Jesus.

67 So Jesus asked the twelve apostles, “Do you want to leave me too?”
68 Simon Peter answered Jesus, “Lord, to what person could we go? Your words give eternal life.

69 Besides, we believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Jesus replied, “I chose all twelve of you. Yet, one of you is a devil.”

71 Jesus meant Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. Judas, who was one of the twelve apostles, would later betray 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.