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Jesus Returns To Galilee And Feeds The 5000

After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee— of Tiberias[a]. And a large crowd was following Him, because they were seeing the signs which He was doing on the ones being sick. And Jesus went up on the mountain, and was sitting there with His disciples. And the Passover, the Feast of the Jews, was near. Then Jesus, having lifted-up His eyes and seen that a large crowd was coming to Him, says to Philip, “From where may we buy bread in order that these ones may eat?” Now He was saying this testing him. For He Himself knew what He was going to do. Philip answered Him, “Loaves worth two-hundred denarii[b] are not enough for them, in order that each one may receive a little bit”. One of His disciples— Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter— says to Him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people fall-back [to eat]”. And there was much grass in the place. So the men— about five-thousand as to the number— fell back [to eat]. 11 Then Jesus took the loaves. And having given-thanks, He distributed them to the ones reclining-back [to eat]— likewise also from the fish— as much as they were wanting. 12 And when they were filled, He says to His disciples, “Gather the left-over fragments so that nothing may be lost”. 13 So they gathered, and filled twelve baskets of fragments from the five barley loaves, which were left over by the ones having eaten. 14 Therefore the people, having seen the sign which He did, were saying that “This One is truly the Prophet[c] coming into the world”. 15 Then Jesus, having known that they were about to come and take Him away-by-force in order that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain, Himself alone.

Jesus Walks On Water To Capernaum

16 Now when it became evening, His disciples went down to the sea. 17 And having gotten into a boat, they were going to the other side of the sea, to Capernaum. And darkness already had come, and Jesus had not-yet come to them. 18 And the sea was becoming aroused from a great wind blowing. 19 So having rowed about twenty five or thirty stades[d], they see Jesus walking on the sea and becoming near the boat. And they became afraid. 20 But the One says to them, “I am[e] the One. Do not be afraid”. 21 So they were willing to take Him into the boat. And immediately the boat came-to-be at the land to which they were going.

The Crowd Follows Him There

22 On the next day the crowd standing on the other side of the sea saw that there had not been another small boat there except [the] one, and that Jesus had not entered into the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other[f] small-boats came from Tiberias near the place where they ate the bread, the Lord having given-thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they got into the small boats, and went to Capernaum seeking Jesus.

Jesus Says, Work For The Food Leading To Eternal Life, Which The Son Will Give You

25 And having found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when have You come here?” 26 Jesus responded to them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you— you are seeking Me not because you saw signs[g], but because you ate of the loaves-of-bread and were filled-to-satisfaction. 27 Do not be working for the food which is perishing, but for the food which is remaining to[h] eternal life— which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father certified[i] this One”.

The Work God Requires of You Is To Believe In The One Sent Forth By God

28 So they said to Him, “What may we be doing in order that we may be working the works of God?” 29 Jesus responded and said to them, “This is the work of God: that you be believing in the One Whom that One sent-forth”.

My Father Is Giving You The True Bread From Heaven, Which Came To Give Life

30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do as a sign, in order that we may see it and believe You? What thing do you work? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it has been written [in Ps 78:24]: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat’”. 32 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Moses has not given you the bread from heaven, but My Father is giving you the true Bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the One coming[j] down from heaven and giving life to the world”.

I Am The Bread of Life Come From Heaven. He Who Believes In Me Has Eternal Life

34 So they said to Him, “Master, give us this bread always”. 35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one coming to Me will never hunger, and the one believing in Me will never ever[k] thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have indeed seen Me[l], and you are not believing. 37 All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me, and I will never[m] throw outside the one coming to Me. 38 Because I have come down from heaven not in order that I may be doing My will, but the will of the One having sent Me. 39 And this is the will of the One having sent Me: that as to all that He has given to Me, I will not lose anything from it, but I will raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father: that everyone seeing the Son and believing in Him may have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day”.

I Am The Living Bread From Heaven: Eat And Live Forever. The Bread Is My Flesh

41 Then the Jews were grumbling about Him because He said, “I am the bread having come down from heaven”. 42 And they were saying, “Is this One not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say that ‘I have come down from heaven’?” 43 Jesus responded and said to them, “Do not be grumbling with one another. 44 No one is able to come to Me unless the Father having sent Me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It has been written in the prophets [in Isa 54:13]: ‘and they shall all be taught ones of God’. Everyone having heard from the Father and having learned, comes to Me— 46 not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One being from God; this One has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you— the one believing has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and died. 50 This is the bread coming down from heaven in order that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread having come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And indeed the bread which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh”.

My Flesh Is True Food; My Blood Is True Drink. Partake And Live Forever

52 Then the Jews were fighting with one another, saying, “How can this One give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless[n] you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life in yourselves. 54 The one eating My flesh and drinking My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true[o] food, and My blood is true drink. 56 The one eating My flesh and drinking My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent Me forth, and I live because of the Father, indeed the one eating Me— that one also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread having come down from heaven; not as the manna the fathers ate and died. The one eating this bread will live forever”. 59 He said these things in a synagogue while teaching in Capernaum.

These Words Are Spirit And Life. But Some of You Disciples Do Not Believe

60 Then many of His disciples, having heard, said, “This statement is hard[p]. Who can hear[q] it?” 61 But Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples are grumbling about this, said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man going up where He was formerly? 63 The Spirit is the One giving-life. The flesh profits nothing. The words which I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe”. For Jesus knew from the beginning who the ones not believing were, and who the one who will hand Him over was. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you that no one is able to come to Me unless it has been granted to him from the Father”.

From This Time, Many of His Disciples No Longer Followed Him

66 From this time, many of His disciples went back, and were no longer walking with Him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You also are not wanting to go-away, are you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 And we have believed, and have come-to-know that You are the Holy One of God”. 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is the devil?” 71 Now He was speaking-of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. For this one, one of the twelve, was going to hand Him over.

Footnotes

  1. John 6:1 This is the Roman name for this Sea.
  2. John 6:7 One denarius was a day’s wage for a laborer.
  3. John 6:14 See 1:21.
  4. John 6:19 That is, 2.9 to 3.5 miles or 4.6 to 5.6 kilometers; about half way across.
  5. John 6:20 That is, It is I.
  6. John 6:23 Or, However, small-boats.
  7. John 6:26 That is, saw signs and want to know what they signify. They merely want the earthly benefit.
  8. John 6:27 Or, into, for.
  9. John 6:27 Or, attested, set His seal on. This is the meaning of the signs.
  10. John 6:33 Jesus is referring to Himself. But grammatically this can also mean ‘the bread coming’, which is how the hearers took it, as seen next.
  11. John 6:35 Or, at-any-time.
  12. John 6:36 That is, seen Me in action, seen God certify Me by signs, v 27.
  13. John 6:37 Or, by-no-means.
  14. John 6:53 Rather than soften or explain v 51b, Jesus emboldens it. He makes no attempt to resolve their fighting, but inflames it even more. A more shocking, repugnant, and Law-violating phrase for a Jew can hardly be imagined. In response to their desire to force Him to be king (v 15), Jesus is forcing them to a decision concerning His true nature and mission.
  15. John 6:55 Or, genuine, real. It produces true life.
  16. John 6:60 Not hard to understand, but hard to accept, offensive, harsh, objectionable.
  17. John 6:60 That is, accept and obey.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand(A)

Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs(B) he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside(C) and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Festival(D) was near.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip,(E) “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,(F) spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”(G)

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks,(H) and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign(I) Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”(J) 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king(K) by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.(L)

Jesus Walks on the Water(M)

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water;(N) and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.”(O) 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

22 The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake(P) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.(Q) 23 Then some boats from Tiberias(R) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.(S) 24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,(T) when did you get here?”

26 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,(U) not because you saw the signs(V) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures(W) to eternal life,(X) which the Son of Man(Y) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal(Z) of approval.”

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe(AA) in the one he has sent.”(AB)

30 So they asked him, “What sign(AC) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?(AD) What will you do? 31 Our ancestors ate the manna(AE) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’[c](AF)

32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven(AG) and gives life to the world.”

34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”(AH)

35 Then Jesus declared, “I am(AI) the bread of life.(AJ) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes(AK) in me will never be thirsty.(AL) 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me(AM) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven(AN) not to do my will but to do the will(AO) of him who sent me.(AP) 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,(AQ) but raise them up at the last day.(AR) 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son(AS) and believes in him shall have eternal life,(AT) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

41 At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” 42 They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,(AU) whose father and mother we know?(AV) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”(AW)

43 “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,(AX) and I will raise them up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’[d](AY) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;(AZ) only he has seen the Father. 47 Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.(BA) 48 I am the bread of life.(BB) 49 Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.(BC) 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,(BD) which anyone may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread(BE) that came down from heaven.(BF) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”(BG)

52 Then the Jews(BH) began to argue sharply among themselves,(BI) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh(BJ) of the Son of Man(BK) and drink his blood,(BL) you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.(BM) 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.(BN) 57 Just as the living Father sent me(BO) 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. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”(BP) 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60 On hearing it, many of his disciples(BQ) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”(BR)

61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?(BS) 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man(BT) ascend to where he was before!(BU) 63 The Spirit gives life;(BV) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit[e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known(BW) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.(BX) 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”(BY)

66 From this time many of his disciples(BZ) turned back and no longer followed him.

67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.(CA)

68 Simon Peter answered him,(CB) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.(CC) 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”(CD)

70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,(CE) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”(CF) 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,(CG) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)(CH)

Footnotes

  1. John 6:7 Greek take two hundred denarii
  2. John 6:19 Or about 5 or 6 kilometers
  3. John 6:31 Exodus 16:4; Neh. 9:15; Psalm 78:24,25
  4. John 6:45 Isaiah 54:13
  5. John 6:63 Or are Spirit; or are spirit