I Am the Bread of Life

John 6

22 On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only d one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord e had given thanks. 24 f So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and g went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, h "Rabbi, when did you come here?" 26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, i you are seeking me, not because you saw j signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 k Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for l the food that endures to eternal life, which m the Son of Man will give to you. For on n him God the Father has o set his seal." 28 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing p the works of God?" 29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, q that you believe in him whom r he has sent." 30 So they said to him, s "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31 t Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, u 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is v he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34 They said to him, w "Sir, give us this bread always."

35 Jesus said to them, x "I am the bread of life; y whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 z All that a the Father gives me will come to me, and b whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For c I have come down from heaven, not to do d my own will but d the will of him e who sent me. 39 And f this is the will of him who sent me, g that I should lose nothing of h all that he has given me, but i raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who j looks on the Son and k believes in him l should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

41 So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, m "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, n "Is not this Jesus, o the son of Joseph, whose father and mother p we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 43 Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me q draws him. And r I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets, s 'And they will all be t taught by God.' u Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me - 46 v not that anyone has seen the Father except w he who is from God; he x has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, y whoever believes has eternal life. 48 z I am the bread of life. 49 a Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and b they died. 50 c This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it d and not die. 51 I am the living bread e that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give f for the life of the world is g my flesh."

52 The Jews then h disputed among themselves, saying, i "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53 So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of j the Son of Man and drink his blood, you k have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood l has eternal life, and m I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood n abides in me, and I in him. 57 As o the living Father p sent me, and q I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 r This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread 1 the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." 59 Jesus 2 said these things in the synagogue, as he taught s at Capernaum.

  1. Cross References
    John 21:8
    The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.
  2. Cross References
    John 6:11
    Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
  3. Cross References
    John 6:24 - 25
    So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
    Matthew 14:34 - 36
    And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.
    Mark 6:53 - 56
    When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore.
  4. Cross References
    John 6:17
    Got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.
    John 6:59
    Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
  5. Cross References
    John 1:38
    Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?
  6. Cross References
    John 6:24
    So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
  7. Cross References
    John 6:2
    And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.
  8. Cross References
    Isaiah 55:2
    Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
  9. Cross References
    John 6:35
    Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
    John 6:50 - 51
    This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
    John 6:54
    Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
    John 6:58
    This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
  10. Cross References
    Daniel 7:13
    I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.
  11. Cross References
    John 5:36 - 37
    But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
    John 10:36
    Do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
  12. Cross References
    Ezekiel 9:4
    And the Lord said to him, "Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.
    Romans 4:11
    He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well.
    1 Corinthians 9:2
    If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
    2 Timothy 2:19
    But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.
    John 3:33
    Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
  13. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:58
    Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
    Revelation 2:26
    The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations.
  14. Cross References
    1 John 3:23
    And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
  15. Cross References
    John 3:17
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
  16. Cross References
    Matthew 12:38
    Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.
  17. Cross References
    John 6:49
    Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
    John 6:58
    This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
    Exodus 16:15
    When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.
    Numbers 11:7 - 9
    Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium.
  18. Cross References
    Nehemiah 9:15
    You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.
    Psalms 78:24 - 25
    And he rained down on them manna to eat and gave them the grain of heaven.
    Psalms 105:40
    They asked, and he brought quail, and gave them bread from heaven in abundance.
    1 Corinthians 10:3
    And all ate the same spiritual food.
  19. Cross References
    Nehemiah 9:15
    You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger and brought water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.
  20. Cross References
    John 6:50
    This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.
  21. Cross References
    John 4:15
    The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.
    John 4:33
    So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?
  22. Cross References
    John 6:41
    So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven.
    John 6:48
    I am the bread of life.
    John 6:51
    I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.
    John 6:58
    This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
  23. Cross References
    John 4:14
    But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
    John 7:37
    On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
    John 5:40
    Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
    Matthew 11:28
    Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
    Revelation 7:16
    They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
  24. Cross References
    John 6:39
    And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
    John 17:2
    Since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
  25. Cross References
    John 10:29
    My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.
    John 17:6
    I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.
    John 17:9
    I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
    John 17:24
    Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
  26. Cross References
    John 10:28
    I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
    John 17:12
    While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
  27. Cross References
    John 3:13
    No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
  28. Cross References
    John 5:30
    I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
  29. Cross References
    John 5:30
    I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
  30. Cross References
    John 4:34
    Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
  31. Cross References
    John 10:28 - 29
    I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
    Matthew 18:14
    So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
  32. Cross References
    John 17:12
    While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
    John 18:9
    This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.
  33. Cross References
    John 6:37
    All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
  34. Cross References
    John 6:40
    For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
    John 6:44
    No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
    John 6:54
    Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
    John 11:25
    Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
    1 Corinthians 6:14
    And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
  35. Cross References
    John 12:45
    And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.
    John 14:17
    Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
    John 14:19
    Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
  36. Cross References
    John 6:47
    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
    John 3:15 - 16
    That whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
  37. Cross References
    John 6:27
    Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.
    John 6:54
    Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
    John 4:14
    But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
  38. Cross References
    John 6:33
    For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
    John 6:35
    Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
    John 6:38
    For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
  39. Cross References
    Matthew 13:55
    Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
  40. Cross References
    John 1:45
    Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
  41. Cross References
    John 7:27 - 28
    But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.
  42. Cross References
    John 12:32
    And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
    Jeremiah 31:3
    The Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.
    Hosea 11:4
    I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.
    John 6:65
    And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.
    John 4:23
    But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
  43. Cross References
    John 6:39
    And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
  44. Cross References
    Isaiah 54:13
    All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.
    Jeremiah 31:33 - 34
    But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord : I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
    Hebrews 8:10 - 11
    For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
  45. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 2:13
    And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
    1 Thessalonians 4:9
    Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.
    1 John 2:20
    But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.
  46. Cross References
    John 6:37
    All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
  47. Cross References
    Isaiah 54:13
    All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.
  48. Cross References
    John 1:18
    No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
  49. Cross References
    John 7:29
    I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.
  50. Cross References
    John 3:32
    He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.
    John 8:38
    I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.
  51. Cross References
    John 3:36
    Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
  52. Cross References
    John 6:35
    Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
  53. Cross References
    John 6:31
    Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'
  54. Cross References
    John 6:58
    This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
  55. Cross References
    John 6:33
    For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
  56. Cross References
    John 6:51
    I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.
    John 6:58
    This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.
  57. Cross References
    John 3:13
    No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
  58. Cross References
    John 6:57
    As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me.
    Luke 22:19
    And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
  59. Cross References
    John 6:53 - 56
    So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
    John 1:14
    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
  60. Cross References
    John 9:16
    Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.
    John 10:19
    There was again a division among the Jews because of these words.
  61. Cross References
    John 6:60
    When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?
    John 3:9
    Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?
  62. Cross References
    John 6:27
    Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.
  63. Cross References
    John 20:31
    But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
  64. Cross References
    John 6:40
    For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
  65. Cross References
    John 6:39
    And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
  66. Cross References
    John 15:4 - 5
    Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
    1 John 3:24
    Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
    1 John 4:13
    By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.
    1 John 4:15 - 16
    Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
  67. Cross References
    John 5:26
    For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
    Matthew 16:16
    Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
  68. Cross References
    John 3:17
    For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
  69. Cross References
    John 11:25
    Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.
    Revelation 1:18
    And the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
  70. Cross References
    John 6:31
    Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
    John 6:33
    For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
    John 6:49 - 51
    Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
  71. Cross References
    John 6:24
    So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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