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 this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee — otherwise called the Lake 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.
A great crowd of people, however, followed him, because they saw the signs of his mission in his work among those who were afflicted.
3 Jesus went up on the hillside and sat down with [us] disciples [to teach us].
Jesus went up the hill, and sat down there with his disciples.
4 Then he looked up and saw a great crowd of people coming toward him.
It was near the time of the Jewish Festival of the Passover.
5 He said to Philip, “Where will we buy food for all these people to eat?”
Looking up, and noticing that a great crowd was coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip: “Where are we to buy bread for these people to 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.
He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he meant to 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!”
“Twenty pounds’ worth of bread,” answered Philip, “would not be enough for each of them to have a little.”
8 Another one of [us] disciples, Andrew, who was Simon Peter’s [younger] brother, said to Jesus,
“There is a boy here,” said Andrew, another of his disciples, Simon Peter’s brother,
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]”
“Who has five barley loaves and two fishes; but what is that for 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].
“Make the people sit down,” said Jesus. It was a grassy spot; so the men, who numbered about five thousand, sat down,
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 then Jesus took the loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, distributed them to those who were sitting down; and the same with the fish, giving the people as much as they wanted.
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 satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples: “Collect the broken pieces that are left, so that nothing may be wasted.”
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!
The disciples did so, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves, which were left after all 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!”
When the people saw the signs which Jesus gave, they said: “This is certainly ‘the Prophet who was to 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.
But Jesus, having discovered that they were intending to come and carry him off to make him King, retired again up the hill, quite alone.
16 When it was evening, [we] disciples went down to [Galilee] Lake.
When evening fell, his disciples went down to 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, getting into a boat, began to cross to Capernaum. By this time darkness had set in, and Jesus had not yet come back to them;
18 A strong wind started to blow and caused the water (to become very rough/to have high waves).
the Sea, too, was getting rough, for a strong wind was blowing.
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!
When they had rowed three or four miles, they caught sight of him walking on the water and approaching the boat, and they were frightened.
20 But he said to us, “Do not be afraid! It is I!”
But Jesus said to them: “It is I; do not be 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!
And after this they were glad to take him into the boat; and the boat at once arrived off the shore, for which they had been making.
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 people who remained on the further side of the Sea had seen that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not gone into it with his disciples, but that they had left without him.
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].
Some boats, however, had come from Tiberias, from near the spot where they had eaten the bread after the Master had said the thanksgiving.
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.
So, on the next day, when the people saw that Jesus was not there, or his disciples either, they themselves got into the boats, and went to Capernaum to look for him.
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 found him on the other side of the Sea, they said: “When did you get here, Rabbi?”
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].
“In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “it is not on account of the signs which you saw that you are looking for me, but because you had the bread to eat and were satisfied.
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 g166)
Work, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for Immortal Life, which the Son of Man will give you; for upon him the Father — God himself — has set the seal of his approval.” (aiōnios g166)
28 Then the people asked him, “What things should we do [to please] God?”
“How,” they asked, “are we to do the work that God would have us do?”
29 Jesus replied, “What God [wants you] to do is this: He wants you to believe that [I am] the one he has sent.”
“The work that God would have you do,” answered Jesus, “is to believe in him whom God sent as his Messenger.”
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?
“What sign, then,” they asked, “are you giving, which we may see, and so believe you? What is the work that you are doing?
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 ancestors had the manna to eat in the desert; as Scripture says — ‘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.
“In truth I tell you,” replied Jesus, “Moses did not give you the Bread from Heaven, but my Father does give 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 that God gives is that which comes down from Heaven, and gives Life to the world.”
34 [Not understanding what he meant], they said to him, “Sir, give us that kind of bread all the time!”
“Master,” they exclaimed, “give us that Bread always!”
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].
“I am the Life-giving Bread,” Jesus said to them; “he that comes to me shall never be hungry, and he that believes in me shall never thirst again.
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, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me.
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 those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away.
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 have come down from Heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who 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 his will is this — that I should not lose one of all those whom he has given me, but should raise them up 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 g166)
For it is the will of my Father that every one who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have Immortal Life; and I myself will raise him up at the Last Day.” (aiōnios g166)
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.”
Upon this the Jews began murmuring against Jesus for saying — ‘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]”
“Is not this Jesus, Joseph’s son,” they asked, “whose father and mother we know? How is it that he now says that he has come down from Heaven?”
43 Jesus replied to them, “Stop grumbling among yourselves [about what I just said]!
“Do not murmur among yourselves,” said Jesus in reply.
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 one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; 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 said in the Prophets — ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Every one who is taught by the Father and learns from him comes to 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 one has seen the Father, except him who is from God — he has seen the Father.
47 Listen to this carefully: Everyone who believes ([my message/in me]) has eternal life. (aiōnios g166)
In truth I tell you, he who believes in me has Immortal Life. (aiōnios g166)
48 [Just like] food [MET] [sustains your physical life], I am the [one who enables you to have spiritual] life.
I am the Life-giving Bread.
49 Even though your ancestors ate the manna [while they were traveling] in the desolate area, they died [anyway].
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, and yet died.
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.
The Bread that comes down from Heaven is such that whoever eats of it will never 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 g165)
I am the Living Bread that has come down from Heaven. If any one eats of this Bread, he will live for ever; and the Bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the Life of the world.” (aiōn g165)
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]
Upon this the Jews began disputing with one another: “How is it possible for this man to 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.
“In truth I tell you,” answered Jesus, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not Life within 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 g166)
He who takes my flesh for his food, and drinks my blood, has Immortal Life; and I will raise him up at the Last Day. (aiōnios g166)
55 because my flesh and my blood are truly spiritual food.
For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink.
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 who takes my flesh for his food, and drinks my blood, remains united to me, and I to 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 sent me as his Messenger, and as I live because the Father lives, so he who takes me for his food shall live because I live.
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 g165)
That is the Bread which has come down from Heaven — not such as your ancestors ate, and yet died; he who takes this Bread for his food shall live for ever.” (aiōn g165)
59 He said this while he was teaching people in (the synagogue/the Jewish meeting place) in Capernaum.
All this Jesus said in a Synagogue, when he was teaching 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]”
On hearing it, many of his disciples said: “This is harsh doctrine! Who can bear to listen to 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]
But Jesus, aware that his disciples were murmuring about it, said to them:
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]
“Is this a hindrance to you? What, then, if you should see the Son of Man ascending 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 gives Life; mere flesh is of no avail. In the teaching that I have been giving you there is Spirit and there is 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).
Yet there are some of you who do not believe in me.” For Jesus knew from the first who they were that did not believe in him, and who it was that would 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 added: “This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless enabled by the Father.”
66 From that [time], many of his disciples left him and no longer went with him.
After this many of his disciples drew back, and did not go about with him any longer.
67 So he said to [us] twelve [apostles], “You do not want to leave me also, do you?”
So Jesus said to the Twelve: “Do you also wish to leave me?”
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 g166)
But Simon Peter answered: “Master, to whom shall we go? Immortal Life is in your teaching; (aiōnios g166)
69 We have come to believe for certain that you are the holy one [who has come] from God!”
and we have learned to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of 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!”
“Did not I myself choose you to be the Twelve?” replied Jesus; “and yet, even of you, one is playing the ‘Devil’s’ part.”
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 meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who was about to betray him, though he was one of the Twelve.
