John 6

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, that is, of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following Him, because they were seeing His signs which He was doing upon those who were sick. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples.

4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward Him, He said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these people may eat?" 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He was about to do.

7 Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, that each of them might receive a little."

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 "There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they for so many?"

10 Then Jesus said, "Make the people to recline." Now there was much grass in that place. Therefore the men reclined, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were reclining; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wished. 12 And when they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, so that nothing may be lost." 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and they filled twelve baskets of fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."

Jesus Walks on Water

15 Therefore Jesus, knowing that they were about to come and seize Him, that they might make Him king, withdrew to the mountain by Himself.

16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and having entered into the boat, they were going across the sea to Capernaum. And darkness had already come, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 And the sea was agitated by a great blowing wind. 19 Therefore having rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He said to them, "It is I AM; do not fear." 21 Then they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat arrived at the land to which they were going.

The Bread from Heaven

22 On the next day, when the crowd which had remained on the other side of the sea, having seen that there was no other boat there, except that one in which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered into the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— 24 when the crowd therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And having found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You come here?"

26 Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you; for upon Him God the Father has set His seal."

28 Then they said to Him, "What should we do, that we may work the works of God?"

29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

30 Therefore they said to Him, "What sign will You do then, so that we may see it and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ "

32 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I say to you, Moses has not given you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34 Then they said to Him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

35 And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I told you that you have both seen Me and you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not that I might do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 And this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Jesus Rejected by His Own

41 Therefore the Jews were murmuring about Him, because He said, "I am the bread which came down from heaven." 42 And they were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does this Man say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?"

43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, "Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me should draw him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me 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 which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."

52 Therefore the Jews were contending with one another, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?"

53 Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up in the last day. 55 For My flesh truly is food, and My blood truly is drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven, not as your fathers ate the manna, and died. Whoever eats this bread shall live forever."

59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Fall Away

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?"

61 And Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples were murmuring about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascending where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who makes alive; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who were the ones who did not believe, and who was the one who would betray Him). 65 And He said, "Because of this I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father."

66 From this time many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"

68 But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?" 71 Now He was speaking about Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for he was intending to betray Him, though he was one of the twelve.