< John 6 >
1 Some time later, when Jesus was in Galilee district, near the time of the Jewish Passover celebration, Jesus went [with us disciples by boat] and crossed to another place along Galilee Lake. This lake is [also called] Tiberias Lake.
After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.
2 A large crowd of people kept following Jesus [on land] because they had been seeing the miracles he performed [by healing] sick people.
And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.
3 Jesus went up on the hillside and sat down with [us] disciples [to teach us].
And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.
4 Then he looked up and saw a great crowd of people coming toward him.
And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.
5 He said to Philip, “Where will we buy food for all these people to eat?”
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
6 He asked this only to find out if Philip believed what [Jesus could do], because Jesus already knew what he himself was going to do.
And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
7 Philip replied to him, “[Even if we had] the amount of money a man earns in eight months, that would not be enough to buy bread so that each person could have a little bit!”
Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
8 Another one of [us] disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter’s [younger] brother, said to Jesus,
One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
9 “There is a boy here who has five small barley loaves and two [cooked] fish. But (they will not help much among so many people!/what good will that do among so many people?) [RHQ]”
There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
10 Jesus said, “Tell the people to sit down!” There was plenty of grass there, so they all sat down [comfortably]. There were about 5,000 men [among the crowd].
And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
11 Then Jesus took the small loaves and the fish and thanked [God] for them. Then he [gave them to us, and we] distributed the small loaves and the fish to all the people sitting on the ground. [Because God caused the food to keep increasing], everyone ate as much as they wanted.
And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
12 When everyone had all the food they wanted, he said to [us] disciples, “Gather up the pieces that are left over. Do not let anything be wasted!”
When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
13 So we gathered up the pieces of the small loaves that were left over by those who had eaten. We filled twelve baskets with those pieces!
Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
14 After the people saw that miracle that Jesus had performed, [many of] them started to say, “Surely this is the prophet [like Moses] that [God promised] to send to the world!”
Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.
15 So, because Jesus realized that they were about to come and seize him to make him [their] king, he left them again and went up into the hills by himself.
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.
16 When it was evening, [we] disciples went down to [Galilee] Lake.
And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
17 When it became dark and Jesus had still not joined us, [we] got into a boat and went across the lake towards Capernaum [city].
And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
18 A strong wind started to blow and caused the water (to become very rough/to have high waves).
And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
19 After we had rowed (three or four miles/five or six kilometers), we saw Jesus coming near the boat; he was walking on the water! So we were terrified!
So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
20 But he said to us, “Do not be afraid! It is I!”
But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.
21 We were glad to take him into the boat. As soon as [we] did that, the boat reached the shore where [we] were going!
Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
22 The next day the crowd of people that had stayed on the other side of the lake [were perplexed about how Jesus had left that area]. They knew that there had been only one boat there [the previous day]. They knew that we had gone away in it by ourselves. They knew that Jesus had not gone with us.
The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
23 Then some [men came] from Tiberias [city] in boats. [They were hoping to take some of the crowd back to Tiberias]. They arrived near the place where the people had eaten the food after Jesus had given thanks [and caused it to multiply].
( Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks: )
24 When the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor we disciples were there, [some of] them got into those boats and they sailed to Capernaum to find Jesus.
When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
25 When they found him [in Capernaum] further around the lake, they asked him, “Teacher, [since you(sg) did not come in a boat], when [and how] did you get here?”
And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus replied to them, “Listen to this carefully: Do you know why you are looking for me? It is not because you saw [me perform] miracles [and as a result have realized who I really am]. No! You are looking for me [only] because you had plenty of bread to eat [after I provided it for you by performing a miracle].
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Stop desiring food that will soon spoil! Instead, desire to get [spiritual] food that will last forever! Yearn for eternal life! That is what I, the one who came from heaven, will give you. God [my] Father has shown that he approves of me [enabling me to do that].” (aiōnios )
Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (aiōnios )
28 Then the people asked him, “What things should we do [to please] God?”
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
29 Jesus replied, “What God [wants you] to do is this: He wants you to believe that [I am] the one he has sent.”
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
30 So they said to him, “Then perform [another] miracle so that we may see it and believe that [you came from God]. What miracle would you like to perform?
They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our ancestors ate the [food called] manna [that God provided for them by a miracle] in the desolate area. This is written {[The Psalmist] wrote this} [in the Scriptures] about [what Moses caused to happen: ] ‘He gave them food from heaven to eat.’ [Will you perform a miracle like that]?”
Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
32 So Jesus said to them, “The truth is that it was not Moses who gave your [ancestors] that food from heaven. No, it was my Father [who gave it to them. And my Father is the one] who gives you the true food from heaven.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
33 The true bread from God came down from heaven, and he is the one who will give [eternal] life to [the people of] the world [MTY].”
For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
34 [Not understanding what he meant], they said to him, “Sir, give us that kind of bread all the time!”
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
35 Jesus said to them, “[Just like] food [MET] [sustains physical life], I am the [one who enables you to have spiritual] life. Those who [eat ordinary food and drinks will later be hungry and thirsty]. But those who come to me [to receive that life] will never again [lack anything spiritually].
And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
36 I told you before that you have seen my [miracles, but after seeing them, instead of understanding who I am], you have not believed in me.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
37 All the people that [my] Father entrusts to me will come to me, and I will certainly (welcome/never send away) [LIT] anyone who comes to me.
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 When I came down from heaven, it was not to do what I want. Instead, I came to do what ([God/my Father]), who sent me, wants.
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 What the one who sent me wants is that I (keep forever all/never lose any) [LIT] of those whom he has entrusted to me. He wants me to cause all of them to become alive again (on the last day/on the day [when I judge everyone]) [MTY].
And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 [Long ago in the desolate area when those who were bitten by snakes looked at the bronze replica of a snake, they were healed] [MET]. What my Father wants is that [similarly] everyone who looks at [what] I [have done] and believes in me will have eternal life. I will cause them to become alive again (on the last day/on the day [when I judge everyone]) [MTY].” (aiōnios )
And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (aiōnios )
41 The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the one who is [like] true bread who came down from heaven.”
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
42 They said, “(This man is Jesus, the son of Joseph!/Isn’t this man the son of Joseph?) [RHQ] We know [the names of] both his father and his mother. [He certainly did not come from heaven], so (he is [lying] by saying ‘I came from heaven.’/why is he now saying, ‘I came from heaven?’) [RHQ]”
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
43 Jesus replied to them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves [about what I just said]!
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
44 [My] Father, who sent me, makes people want to come to me. No others will come to me [to receive eternal life]. Those who come to me are the only ones who will believe in me. I will (cause them to be alive again/raise them [from the dead]) (on the last day/on the [judgment] day).
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It was written ([by one of the prophets/by the prophet Isaiah]) {([One of the prophets/The prophet Isaiah]) wrote} [about all those who will trust in me], ‘God will teach them all.’ Everyone who listens to what [my] Father [says] and learns from him will (come to/believe in) me.
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
46 I came from God. I am the only one who has seen [my] Father. No one else has seen him.
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
47 Listen to this carefully: Everyone who believes ([my message/in me]) has eternal life. (aiōnios )
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (aiōnios )
48 [Just like] food [MET] [sustains your physical life], I am the [one who enables you to have spiritual] life.
I am that bread of life.
49 Even though your ancestors ate the manna [while they were traveling] in the desolate area, they died [anyway].
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 But the bread [I am talking about] is something that came down from heaven. If people eat that bread, their [spirits] will never die.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
51 I am the one who came down from heaven to enable people to have [spiritual] life. If people take what I will give them, they will live forever. What I will give them is my flesh, which I will give to [all the people in] [MTY] the world in order that they may have [spiritual] life.” (aiōn )
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (aiōn )
52 Then the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] began to argue among themselves. They said, “(There is no way this man can give us his flesh to eat!/How can this man give us his flesh to eat?)” [RHQ]
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
53 So, [speaking figuratively of the need for them to accept for themselves the benefits of his sacrificing himself and shedding his blood to atone for their sins] [MET], Jesus said to them, “Listen carefully to this: [Although] I am the one who came from heaven, if you do not eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will not have eternal life.
Then Jesus 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 no life in you.
54 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will cause them to become alive again at (the last day/the [judgment] day), (aiōnios )
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (aiōnios )
55 because my flesh and my blood are truly spiritual food.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood will have a close relationship with me, and I will have a close relationship with them.
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 [My] Father, who is the [source of everything that] lives, sent me, and I live because [my] Father has [given me life]. Similarly those who eat my [flesh] will live [eternally] because of what I [do for them].
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 [I am] the true bread that came down from heaven. Although our ancestors ate [manna], they [later] died [anyway]. But those who eat this bread will live forever.” (aiōn )
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (aiōn )
59 He said this while he was teaching people in (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place) in Capernaum.
These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
60 After they heard him say that, many of his disciples said, “What he is teaching is hard [to understand]; (it is very difficult for anyone to accept it!/how can anyone accept it?) [RHQ]”
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 Jesus was aware that his disciples were grumbling about it, so he said to them, “(I am sorry that this is offending you./Is this offending you?) [RHQ]
When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
62 ([Perhaps you will believe my message] if you see me, the one who came from heaven, ascending [there] to where I was before!/[(What will you think if you see me], the one who came from heaven, ascending [there] to where I was before)?) [RHQ]
What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63 [God’s] Spirit is the one who gives people [eternal] life. Human efforts are no help at all [for giving people eternal life]. The message I have spoken to you [gives spiritual] life (OR, [comes from] God’s Spirit [and gives eternal] life.)
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe [my message.” Jesus said that] because he knew from the time he started [MTY] [his ministry] which of them would not believe his message. He also knew who would (betray him/enable his enemies to seize him).
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 Then he continued by saying, “That is why I told you that only those whom my Father has enabled [to believe in me] will come to me [and receive eternal life].”
And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that [time], many of his disciples left him and no longer went with him.
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
67 So he said to [us] twelve [apostles], “You do not want to leave me also, do you?”
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
68 Simon Peter replied to him, “Lord, [we] will not [leave you], [because] (there is no other person [like you] to whom we can go!/what other person is there like [you] to whom we can go?) [RHQ] You have the message about eternal life! (aiōnios )
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. (aiōnios )
69 We have come to believe for certain that you are the holy one [who has come] from God!”
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
70 Then Jesus replied to us, “[You are saying that as though all] you twelve [men] whom I have chosen [RHQ] believe that. But one of you is [under the control of] Satan!”
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
71 He was talking about Judas, the [son] of Simon, from Kerioth [village]. [Even though] Judas was one of us twelve [apostles], he was about (to betray Jesus/to enable Jesus’ enemies to seize him).
He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.