1 After these things Jesus went away beyond the sea of Galilee, [or] of Tiberias, 2 and a great crowd followed him, because they saw the signs which he wrought upon the sick. 3 And Jesus went up into the mountain, and there sat with his disciples: 4 but the passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Jesus then, lifting up his eyes and seeing that a great crowd is coming to him, says to Philip, Whence shall we buy loaves that these may eat? 6 But this he said trying him, for he knew what he was going to do. 7 Philip answered him, Loaves for two hundred denarii are not sufficient for them, that each may have some little [portion]. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, says to him, 9 There is a little boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fishes; but this, what is it for so many? 10 [And] Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place: the men therefore sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and having given thanks, distributed [them] to those that were set down; and in like manner of the small fishes as much as they would. 12 And when they had been filled, he says to his disciples, Gather together the fragments which are over and above, that nothing may be lost. 13 They gathered [them] therefore together, and filled twelve hand-baskets full of fragments of the five barley loaves, which were over and above to those that had eaten. 14 The men therefore, having seen the sign which Jesus had done, said, This is truly the prophet which is coming into the world. 15 Jesus therefore knowing that they were going to come and seize him, that they might make [him] king, departed again to the mountain himself alone. 16 But when evening was come, his disciples went down to the sea, 17 and having gone on board ship, they went over the sea to Capernaum. And it had already become dark, and Jesus had not come to them, 18 and the sea was agitated by a strong wind blowing. 19 Having rowed then about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they see Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the ship; and they were frightened. 20 But he says to them, It is I: be not afraid. 21 They were willing therefore to receive him into the ship; and immediately the ship was at the land to which they went. 22 On the morrow the crowd which stood on the other side of the sea, having seen that there was no other little ship there except that into which his disciples had got, and that Jesus had not gone with his disciples into the ship, but [that] his disciples had gone away alone; 23 (but other little ships out of Tiberias came near to the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks;) 24 when therefore the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they got into the ships, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And having found him the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when art thou arrived here? 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say to you, Ye seek me not because ye have seen signs, but because ye have eaten of the loaves and been filled. 27 Work not [for] the food which perishes, but [for] the food which abides unto life eternal, which the Son of man shall give to you; for him has the Father sealed, [even] God. 28 They said therefore 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 ye believe on him whom he has sent. 30 They said therefore to him, What sign then doest thou that we may see and believe thee? what dost thou work? 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 to them, Verily, verily, I say to you, [It is] not Moses that has given you the bread out of heaven; but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world. 34 They said therefore to him, Lord, ever give to us this bread. 35 [And] Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst at any time. 36 But I have said to you, that ye have also seen me and do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me shall come to me, and him that comes to me I will not at all cast out. 38 For I am come down from heaven, not that I should do my will, but the will of him that has sent me. 39 And this is the will of him that has sent me, that of all that he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up in the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son, and believes on him, should have life eternal; and I will raise him up at the last day. 41 The Jews therefore murmured about him, because he said, I am the bread which has come down out of heaven. 42 And they said, Is not this Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we have known? how then does he say, I am come down out of heaven? 43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me except the Father who has sent me draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every one that has heard from the Father [himself], and has learned [of him], comes to me; 46 not that any one has seen the Father, except he who is of God, he has seen the Father. 47 Verily, verily, I say to you, He that believes [on me] has life eternal. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness and died. 50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which has come down out of heaven: if any one shall have eaten of this bread he shall live for ever; but the bread withal which I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 52 The Jews therefore contended among themselves, saying, How can he give us this flesh to eat? 53 Jesus therefore said to them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Unless ye shall have eaten the flesh of the Son of man, and drunk his blood, ye have no life in yourselves. 54 He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life eternal, and I will raise him up at the last day: 55 for my flesh is truly food and my blood is truly drink. 56 He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells in me and I in him. 57 As the living Father has sent me and I live on account of the Father, he also who eats me shall live also on account of me. 58 This is the bread which has come down out of heaven. Not as the fathers ate and died: he that eats this bread shall live for ever. 59 These things he said in [the] synagogue, teaching in Capernaum. 60 Many therefore of his disciples having heard [it] said, This word is hard; who can hear it? 61 But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmur concerning this, said to them, Does this offend you? 62 If then ye see the Son of man ascending up where he was before? 63 It is the Spirit which quickens, the flesh profits nothing: the words which I have spoken unto you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would deliver him up. 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no one can come to me unless it be given to him from the Father. 66 From that [time] many of his disciples went away back and walked no more with him. 67 Jesus therefore said to the twelve, Will ye also go away? 68 Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast words of life eternal; 69 and we have believed and known that thou art the holy one of God. 70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you the twelve? and of you one is a devil. 71 Now he spoke of Judas [the son] of Simon, Iscariote, for he [it was who] should deliver him up, being one of the twelve.
John 6 Darby Translation
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Simon
Named in John 6:71, 13:2 and 13:26 as the father of Judas Iscariot.
Cited in the guide: John 6:71; John 13:2; John 13:26
Cross references (70)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Mark 6:31–44; John 6:23; Luke 5:1; Matthew 4:18; Numbers 34:11
- 2 Matthew 4:24–25; Matthew 12:15; Matthew 15:30–31; Matthew 14:14; Mark 6:33
- 3 John 6:15; Luke 9:28; Matthew 14:23; Luke 6:12–13; Matthew 15:29
- 4 John 2:13; John 11:55; Exodus 12:6–14; John 5:1; Deuteronomy 16:1
- 5 Luke 9:12–13; Matthew 15:33; John 4:35; John 1:43; Matthew 14:14–15
- 6 Genesis 22:1; Deuteronomy 13:3; 2 Chronicles 32:31; Deuteronomy 8:16; Deuteronomy 33:8
- 7 Mark 6:37; Numbers 11:21–22; John 12:5; 2 Kings 4:43; Matthew 18:28
- 8 John 1:40–44; Matthew 4:18
- 9 2 Kings 4:42–44; Matthew 14:17; Mark 6:38; Luke 9:13; Psalm 78:19
- 10 Luke 9:14–16; Matthew 14:18–19; Mark 8:6–7; Matthew 15:35–36; Mark 6:39–41
- 11 1 Thessalonians 5:18; John 6:23; Luke 24:30; Romans 14:6; Matthew 15:36
- 12 Luke 1:53; Mark 6:42–44; Nehemiah 9:25; Luke 9:17; Nehemiah 8:10
- 13 Proverbs 11:24–25; 1 Kings 7:15–16; 2 Kings 4:2–7; 2 Corinthians 9:8–9; 2 Chronicles 25:9
- 14 Deuteronomy 18:15–18; Acts 7:37; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 11:3; John 1:21
- 15 John 18:36; John 7:3–4; Luke 19:38; John 6:15–21; Mark 11:9
- 17 Mark 6:45; John 6:24–25; John 2:12; John 4:46
- 18 Psalm 135:7; Psalm 107:25; Matthew 14:24
- 19 Mark 6:47–49; Matthew 14:25–26; Psalm 93:4; John 14:18; Job 9:8
- 20 Matthew 14:27–31; Isaiah 43:1–2; Isaiah 44:8; Isaiah 41:10; Revelation 1:17–18
- 21 Mark 6:51; Matthew 14:32–33; Revelation 3:20; Psalm 24:7–10; Song of Songs 3:4
- 22 Mark 6:45; Matthew 14:22; John 6:2; John 6:15–21
- 23 John 6:1; John 6:11–12
- 24 John 6:17; Luke 8:40; Mark 1:37; Mark 6:53; Matthew 14:34
- 25 Matthew 23:7; John 1:38–39
- 26 Philippians 3:19; Philippians 2:21; James 4:3–4; Acts 8:18–21; 1 Timothy 6:5
- 27 Colossians 3:2; Isaiah 55:2; John 6:54; 2 Timothy 2:19; Matthew 6:19
- 28 Acts 16:30; Acts 9:6; Luke 10:25; Matthew 19:16; Deuteronomy 5:27
- 29 1 John 3:23; Acts 16:31; John 3:36; Hebrews 5:9; 1 John 5:1
- 30 John 12:37; John 6:36; John 10:38; 1 Corinthians 1:22; Mark 15:32
- 31 Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 105:40; Psalm 78:24–25; Exodus 16:4–15; Exodus 16:35
- 32 John 15:1; John 6:58; Exodus 16:4; John 1:9; John 6:55
- 33 John 8:42; John 17:8; John 3:13; John 6:50; 1 John 1:1–2
- 34 John 4:15; John 6:26; Psalm 4:6
- 35 John 6:48–58; Isaiah 55:1–3; John 6:41; Revelation 22:17; Isaiah 49:10
- 36 1 Peter 1:8–9; John 12:37; John 6:26; Luke 16:31; John 6:64
- 37 Matthew 11:28; John 6:39; John 17:24; John 10:28–29; John 17:2
- 38 John 5:30; John 4:34; John 3:31; Philippians 2:7–8; Psalm 40:7–8
- 39 John 17:12; John 6:40; John 18:9; John 10:27–30; John 6:44
- 40 John 5:24; Romans 6:23; John 6:54; John 11:25; John 3:15–18
- 41 John 6:51–52; John 6:48; John 6:33; John 6:60; John 6:66
- 42 Luke 4:22; Mark 6:3; Matthew 13:55–56; 1 Corinthians 15:47; John 7:27–28
- 43 Hebrews 4:13; John 6:64; John 16:19; Mark 9:33; Matthew 16:8
- 44 John 6:65; Matthew 11:25–27; John 6:39–40; Ephesians 2:4–10; John 12:32
- 45 Isaiah 54:13; Jeremiah 31:33–34; Hebrews 10:16; Hebrews 8:10–11; 1 Thessalonians 4:9
- 46 John 1:18; John 7:29; Luke 10:22; Matthew 11:27; 1 John 4:12
- 47 John 3:36; Colossians 3:3–4; Romans 5:9–10; John 3:16; John 5:24
- 48 John 6:51; 1 Corinthians 11:24–25; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; John 6:41; John 6:33–35
- 49 Jude 5; Hebrews 3:17–19; 1 Corinthians 10:3–5; John 6:31; Numbers 26:65
- 50 John 6:33; Romans 8:10; John 6:51; John 6:58; John 8:51
- 51 Luke 22:19; John 6:33; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 10:5–12; John 3:13
- 52 John 9:16; John 10:19; John 6:41; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Acts 17:32
- 53 1 John 5:12; Matthew 26:26–28; John 6:55; John 6:47; John 15:4
- 54 John 6:39–40; Philippians 3:7–10; Galatians 2:20; John 6:27; Proverbs 9:4–6
- 55 John 6:32; John 8:36; John 8:31; John 15:1; John 1:9
- 56 1 John 3:24; John 15:4–5; Revelation 3:20; John 14:20; Psalm 91:9
- 57 Galatians 2:20; John 5:26; John 17:21; Colossians 3:3–4; John 3:17
- 58 John 3:36; John 6:47–51; John 6:31–34; John 6:41
- 59 John 6:24; Proverbs 1:20–23; Proverbs 8:1–3; Luke 4:31; Psalm 40:9–10
- 60 John 6:66; John 8:43; John 8:31; Matthew 11:6; John 6:41–42
- 61 John 6:64; John 2:24–25; Revelation 2:23; Hebrews 4:13; Matthew 11:6
- 62 John 3:13; Mark 16:19; Ephesians 4:8–10; Luke 24:51; John 16:28
- 63 Galatians 5:25; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 119:93; John 6:68; Psalm 119:130
- 64 2 Timothy 2:19; John 10:26; Hebrews 4:13; Romans 8:29; John 13:10–11
- 65 John 6:44–45; John 6:37; John 3:27; John 10:26–27; Ephesians 2:8–9
- 66 Luke 9:62; 1 John 2:19; John 6:60; Hebrews 10:38; John 8:31
- 67 John 6:70; Luke 14:25–33; Ruth 1:11–18; Joshua 24:15–22; 2 Samuel 15:19–20
- 68 Psalm 73:25; John 5:24; 1 John 5:11–13; Acts 4:12; John 6:63
- 69 Luke 9:20; John 11:27; Mark 8:29; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 5:20
- 70 John 13:27; John 13:2; John 6:64; John 17:12; John 13:18
- 71 Matthew 26:14–16; Jude 4; Acts 1:16–20; Psalm 41:9; Psalm 55:13–14
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
It was a great miracle that was wrought, dearly beloved, for five thousand men to be filled with five loaves and two fishes, and the remnants of the fragments to fill twelve baskets. A great miracle: but we shall not wonder much at what was done, if we give heed to Him That did it.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
The miracles performed by our Lord Jesus Christ are indeed divine works, and incite the human mind to rise to the apprehension of God from the things that are seen.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Beloved, let us not contend with violent men, but learn when the doing so brings no hurt to our virtue to give place to their evil counsels; for so all their hardihood is checked.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
Again, withdrawing from thence to the other side of the sea of Tiberias, He there seeing a great crowd had followed Him, fed all that multitude with five loaves of bread, and twelve baskets of fragments remained over and above.
… speaking mystically of eating His flesh, when those who did not understand Him were offended and went away, saying, "This is an hard saying, who can hear it?" He answered to the rest who remained, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." The Principle, therefore, having assumed a human soul and flesh, cleanses the soul and flesh …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)