John 6:51-69

I Am the Bread of Life

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.

The Words of Eternal Life

60 t When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61 But Jesus, v knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62 Then what if you were to see w the Son of Man x ascending to y where he was before? 63 z It is the Spirit who gives life; a the flesh is no help at all. b The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But c there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus v knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and d who it was who would betray him.) 65 And he said, "This is why I told you e that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father."

66 f After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to g the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have h the words of eternal life, 69 and i we have believed, and have come to know, that j you are k the Holy One of God."

  1. Cross References
    John 3:13
    No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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?
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. Cross References
    John 6:66
    After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
    John 6:64
    But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
  17. Cross References
    John 2:24 - 25
    But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people
  18. 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.
  19. Cross References
    Mark 16:19
    So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
  20. Cross References
    John 17:5
    And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
    John 3:13
    No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
  21. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 15:45
    Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
    2 Corinthians 3:6
    Who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
  22. Cross References
    John 3:6
    That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
  23. Cross References
    John 6:68
    Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
  24. Cross References
    John 6:66
    After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
  25. Cross References
    John 6:61
    But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this?
  26. Cross References
    John 6:71
    He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.
    John 13:11
    For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean.
  27. Cross References
    John 6:44 - 45
    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 3:27
    John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
  28. 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 6:64
    But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)
  29. Cross References
    John 6:70 - 71
    Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.
  30. Cross References
    Acts 5:20
    "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."
    John 12:50
    And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.
    John 17:8
    For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.
  31. Cross References
    John 11:27
    She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.
    1 John 4:16
    So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
  32. Cross References
    John 1:49
    Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!
  33. Cross References
    Mark 1:24
    "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God."
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.