John 6

Jesus Multiplies Food

1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Lake of Tiberias, # 6:1 Or “which is also called the Lake of Tiberias.” Tiberias was the largest Jewish city in the Galilee province, located on the western shore of Lake Galilee. This could also be translated “Jesus went beyond Tiberias to Lake Galilee.” which is also known as Lake Galilee. 2And a massive crowd of people followed him everywhere. They were attracted by his miracles and the healings they watched him perform. 3Jesus went up the slope of a hill and sat down with his disciples. 4Now it was approaching the time of the Jewish celebration of Passover, and there were many pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem in the crowd.

5As Jesus sat down, he looked out and saw the massive crowd of people scrambling up the hill, for they wanted to be near him. So he turned to Philip and said, “Where will we buy enough food to feed all these people?” 6Now Jesus already knew what he was about to do, but he said this to stretch Philip’s faith.

7Philip answered, “Well, I suppose if we were to give everyone only a snack, it would cost thousands of dollars # 6:7 Or “two hundred pieces of silver.” This equates to about eight months’ wages of the average person. Philip didn’t answer the question and was focused on how much money it would cost, but Jesus’ question was, “Where will we buy bread?” Jesus was testing Philip to see if he would look to Jesus to supply all that was needed and not consider their limited resources. to buy enough food!”

8But just then, Andrew, Peter’s brother, spoke up and said, 9“Look! Here’s a young person # 6:9 The Aramaic is literally translated “boy.” However, the Greek uses a word, paidarion, which can also mean a girl or young woman. with five barley loaves and two small fish . . . but how far would that go with this huge crowd?”

10“Have everyone sit down,” Jesus said to his disciples. So on the vast grassy slope, more than five thousand hungry people sat down. # 6:10 The number five thousand would have likely been only the number of men in the crowd. Jesus had everyone sit down. To receive bread from Jesus, the Source, doesn’t require that you stand and work hard for it, you simply sit down and rest to be fed the living bread. 11Jesus then took the barley loaves # 6:11 Barley is the first crop to harvest in Israel. It is a picture of the resurrected Christ. A barley loaf becomes a picture of Christ given to us in resurrection life. He is the firstfruit of resurrection life. See Lev. 23:10; Judg. 7:13–14. and the fish and gave thanks to God. He then gave it to the disciples to distribute to the people. Miraculously, the food multiplied, with everyone eating as much as they wanted! # 6:11 When tempted by the devil, Jesus refused to turn stones into bread to satisfy his own hunger. Yet here Jesus multiplied bread to satisfy the hunger of others. Philip was hoping to give each one a little to eat, but Jesus’ supply is always abundant to satisfy the hunger of all.

12When everyone was satisfied, Jesus told his disciples, “Now go back and gather up the pieces left over so that nothing will be wasted.” 13The disciples filled up twelve baskets of fragments, a basket of leftovers for each disciple.

14All the people were astounded as they saw with their own eyes the incredible miracle Jesus had performed! They began to say among themselves, “He really is the One—the true prophet # 6:14 See Deut. 18:15–19. we’ve been expecting!”

15So Jesus, knowing that they were about to take him and make him their king by force, quickly left and went up the mountainside alone. # 6:15 Jesus knew the time of liberating Israel had not yet come. Men don’t just need better government; we need new hearts.

Jesus Walks on Water

16-17After waiting until evening for Jesus to return, the disciples went down to the lake. But as darkness fell, he still hadn’t returned, so the disciples got into a boat and headed across the lake to Capernaum. # 6:16–17 Capernaum means “the village of Nahum.” Nahum means “comfort” or “the village of comfort.” 18By now a strong wind # 6:18 Or “the Spirit stirred up on their behalf.” began to blow and was stirring up the waters. 19The disciples had rowed about halfway # 6:19 Or “three or four miles.” The lake was approximately seven miles across, so they would have rowed about halfway. across the lake when all of a sudden they caught sight of Jesus walking on top of the waves, coming toward them. The disciples panicked, 20but Jesus called out to them, “Don’t be afraid. You know who I am.” # 6:20 Or “Fear not. I Am!”

21They were relieved to take him in, and the moment Jesus stepped into the boat, they were instantly transported to the other side!

Jesus, the Living Bread

22-23The next morning, the crowds were still on the opposite shore of the lake, near the place where they had eaten the bread he had multiplied after he had given thanks to God. # 6:22–23 This information from v. 24 is included here for the sake of the English narrative. Yet Jesus was nowhere to be found. They realized that only one boat had been there and that Jesus’ hadn’t boarded, and they concluded that his disciples had left him behind. 24So when the people saw on the shoreline a number of small boats from Tiberias and realized Jesus and the disciples weren’t there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to search for him.

25When they finally found him, they asked him, “Teacher, how did you get here?”

26Jesus replied, “Let me make this very clear, # 6:26 Or “Amen, amen, I say unto you” or “Timeless truth I speak unto you.” you came looking for me because I fed you by a miracle, not because you believe in me. 27Why would you strive for food that is perishable and not be passionate to seek the food of eternal life, which never spoils? # 6:27 The Aramaic is “Why would you not seek the food that fastens you to eternal life?” I, the Son of Man, am ready to give you what matters most, for God the Father has destined me for this purpose.” # 6:27 Or “has set his seal (of approval) upon me” or “the Father has sealed me as God with his seal of approval.” The Aramaic word for “seal” can also mean “destine” or “determine.”

28They replied, “So what should we do if we want to do God’s work?”

29Jesus answered, “The work you can do for God starts with believing in the One he has sent.”

30-31They replied, “Show us a miracle so we can see it, and then we’ll believe in you. Moses took care of our ancestors who were fed by the miracle of manna # 6:30–31 Manna means “What is it?” This is the bread of mystery that became the wilderness food for the Hebrews for more than thirty-eight years. every day in the desert, just like the Scripture says, ‘He fed them with bread from heaven.’ # 6:30–31 See Ex. 16:4–36; Neh. 9:15; Ps. 78:24. What sign will you perform for us?”

32“The truth is,” # 6:32 The Aramaic is “Timeless truth I speak unto you.” Jesus said, “Moses didn’t give you the bread of heaven. It’s my Father who offers bread that comes as a dramatic sign # 6:32 The Aramaic can be translated “a rainbow sign.” Just as Noah was given a rainbow sign of the covenant God was making with him, Jesus’ earthly life was a rainbow sign from heaven of the new covenant life given to every believer today. See Gen. 9; Rev. 4:3; 10:1. The Greek is “true bread out of heaven.” from heaven. 33The bread of God is the One who came out of heaven to give his life to feed the world.”

34“Then please, sir, give us this bread every day,” they replied.

35Jesus said to them, “I am the Bread of Life. # 6:35 The Aramaic can be translated “I am the living God, the Bread of Life.” Come every day to me and you will never be hungry. Believe in me and you will never be thirsty. 36Yet I’ve told you that even though you’ve seen me, you still don’t believe in me. 37But everyone my Father has given to me, they will come. And all who come to me, I will embrace and will never turn them away. 38And I have come out of heaven not for my own desires, but for the satisfaction # 6:38 As translated from the Aramaic. of my Father who sent me. 39My Father who sent me has determined that I will not lose even one of those he has given to me, and I will raise them up in the last day. 40For the longing of my Father is that everyone who embraces the Son # 6:40 Or “sees the Son.” and believes in him will experience eternal life and I will raise them up in the last day!”

41When the Jews who were hostile to Jesus heard him say, “I am the Bread that came down from heaven,” they immediately began to complain, 42“How can he say these things about himself? We know him, and we know his parents. How dare he say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’ ”

43Jesus responded, “Stop your grumbling! 44The only way people come to me is by the Father who sent me—he pulls # 6:44 The Greek word is “drag” or “pull by force.” The name Moses means “pulled” (from the Nile). The Aramaic is “ransom” or “save.” on their hearts to embrace me. And those who are drawn to me, I will certainly raise them up in the last day.”

45Jesus continued, “It has been written by the prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God himself.’ # 6:45 See Isa. 54:13; Jer. 31:34. If you are really listening to the Father and learning directly from him, you will come to me. 46For I am the only One who has come from the Father’s side, and I have seen the Father!

47“I speak to you living truth: Unite your heart to me and believe—and you will experience eternal life! 48I am the true Bread of Life. # 6:48 Although not found in the Greek text, there are some Aramaic manuscripts that have “I am the living God, the Bread of Life.” 49Your ancestors ate manna in the desert and died. 50But standing here before you is the true Bread that comes out of heaven, and when you eat this Bread you will never die. 51I alone am this living Bread that has come to you from heaven. Eat this Bread and you will live forever. The living Bread I give you is my body, which I will offer as a sacrifice so that all may live.”

52These words of Jesus sparked an angry outburst among the Jews. They protested, saying, “Does this man expect us to eat his body?”

53Jesus replied to them, “Listen to this eternal truth: Unless you eat the body of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have eternal life. 54Eternal life comes to the one who eats my body # 6:54 To eat his flesh is to take into our life by faith all that Jesus did for us by giving his body for us. To drink his blood is to take by faith all that the blood of Jesus has purchased for us. This “eating” and “drinking” is receiving the life, power, and virtue of all that Jesus is to replace all that we were in Adam. Jesus’ blood and body is the Tree of Life, which is offered to everyone who follows him. and drinks my blood, and I will raise him up in the last day. 55For my body is real food for your spirit and my blood is real drink. 56The one who eats my body and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. # 6:56 The Aramaic is “He that eats my body and drinks my blood is strengthened in me and I in him.” 57The Father of life sent me, and he is my life. In the same way, the one who feeds upon me, I will become his life. 58I am not like the bread your ancestors ate and later died. I am the living Bread that comes from heaven. Eat this Bread and you will live forever!”

59Jesus preached this sermon in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Became Offended

60And when many of Jesus’ followers heard these things, it caused a stir. “That’s disgusting!” they said. “How could anybody accept it?” # 6:60 Jesus knew that these words were offending the religious Jews. To eat flesh that was not kosher was a violation of the law; how much more so to eat human flesh. Drinking blood of any kind was also forbidden (Lev. 17:11–12). The imagery is similar to Ezekiel who “ate the scroll” (of the Word, Ezek. 3:1–15).

61Without anyone telling him, Jesus knew they were outraged and told them, “Are you offended over my teaching? 62What will you do when you see the Son of Man ascending into the realm from where he came? # 6:62 The greatest offense of all will be the cross where Jesus will soon be crucified, and they will watch him surrender his Spirit to the Father in death. See 1 Cor. 1:18–25; Gal. 5:11.

63“The Holy Spirit is the one who gives life, that which is of the natural realm # 6:63 The Aramaic is “the body.” is of no help. The words I speak to you are Spirit and life. But there are still some of you who won’t believe.” 64In fact, Jesus already knew from the beginning who the skeptics were and who his traitor would be.

65He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one embraces me unless the Father has given you to me.”

Peter’s Confession of Faith

66And so from that time on many of the disciples turned their backs on Jesus and refused to be associated with him. # 6:66 Jesus went from feeding five thousand to offending five thousand. They wanted him to feed them, but didn’t want Jesus alone to be their feast. 67So Jesus said to his twelve, “And you—do you also want to leave?” 68Peter spoke up and said, “But Lord, where would we go? No one but you gives us the revelation of eternal life. 69We’re fully convinced that you are the Anointed One, the Son of the Living God, # 6:69 As translated from the Aramaic. Although many Greek scholars believe this is borrowed from the Synoptic Gospels, and is found in variant forms in Greek texts, the Aramaic and many Greek manuscripts have “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” and we believe in you!”

70Then Jesus shocked them with these words: “I have hand-picked you to be my twelve, knowing that one of you is the devil.” # 6:70 The Greek word for “devil” means “slanderer” or “adversary.” 71Jesus was referring to Judas Iscariot, # 6:71 Judas is the name Judah. Iscariot was not his last name. There are two possibilities for the meaning of Iscariot. Some believe it is taken from a Hebrew word that means “lock.” Judah the “locksmith.” He most likely was the one who locked the collection bag, which means he had the key and could pilfer the fund at will. It’s his sad history that he wanted to lock up Jesus and control him for his own ends. Other scholars see the possibility that Iscariot is actually “Ish” (man) of “Kerioth” (a town once situated south of Hebron). This would mean Judas was the only non-Galilean among the Twelve. son of Simon, for he knew that Judas, one of his chosen disciples, was getting ready to betray him.

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John 6: TPT

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John 6

New Manna in the Wilderness

1Afterwards, Yeshua went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also known as the Sea of Tiberias.

2A large crowd kept following Him, because they were watching the signs He was performing on the sick.

3Then Yeshua went up the mountainside and sat down there with His disciples.

4Passover, the Jewish feast, was near.

5Lifting up His eyes and seeing a large crowd coming to Him, Yeshua said to Philip, “Where will we buy bread so these may eat?”

6Now Yeshua was saying this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.

7Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii isn’t enough to buy bread for each to get a little bit!”

8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

9“There’s a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish—but what’s that for so many?”

10Yeshua said, “Make the people recline.” There was much grass in the area. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

11Then Yeshua picked up the loaves. And having given thanks, He distributed bread to everyone who was reclining. He did the same with the fish, as much as they wanted.

12When the people were full, Yeshua said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftovers, so nothing is wasted.”

13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had finished eating.

14When the people saw the sign that Yeshua performed, they began to say, “This is most certainly the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

15Realizing that they were about to come and seize Him by force to make Him king, Yeshua withdrew again to the mountain, Himself alone.

The Savior on the Sea

16Now when evening came, Yeshua’s disciples went down to the sea.

17Getting into a boat, they set out to cross the sea toward Capernaum. By now it had become dark, and still Yeshua had not come to them.

18A great wind began to blow, stirring up the sea.

19After they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they catch sight of Yeshua walking on the sea, approaching the boat. They were terrified!

20But Yeshua says to them, “I am. Don’t be afraid.”

21Then they wanted to take Him into the boat, and right away the boat reached the shore where they were headed.

The Bread from Heaven

22The next day, the crowd remaining on the other side of the sea realized that no other boat had been there except the one, and that Yeshua hadn’t gone into the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had gone away alone.

23Some other boats from Tiberias came close to the place where they had eaten the bread after the Master had given thanks.

24So when the crowd realized that neither Yeshua nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and set off for Capernaum to find Him.

25When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

26Yeshua responded to them, “Amen, amen I tell you, you seek Me not because you saw signs, but because you ate all the bread and were filled.

27Don’t work for food that spoils, 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 put the seal of approval.”

28Then they said to Him, “What shall we do to perform the works of God?”

29Yeshua answered them, “This is the work of God, to trust in the One He sent.”

30So they said to Him, “Then what sign do You perform, so that we may see and believe You? What work do You do?

31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘Out of heaven He gave them bread to eat.’”

32Yeshua answered them, “Amen, amen I tell you, it isn’t Moses who has given you bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33For the bread of God is the One coming down from heaven and giving life to the world.”

34So they said to Him, “Sir, give us this bread from now on!”

35Yeshua said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.

36But I told you that you have seen Me, yet you do not believe.

37Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and anyone coming to Me I will never reject.

38For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will but the will of the One who sent Me.

39“Now this is the will of the One who sent Me, that I lose not one of all He has given Me, but raise each one on the last day.

40For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and trusts in Him may have eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

41Some of the Judeans started to grumble about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

42They were saying, “Isn’t this Yeshua the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can He now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”

43Yeshua answered, “Stop grumbling among yourselves!

44No one can come to Me unless My Father who sent Me draws him—and I will raise him up on the last day.

45It is written in the Prophets, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has listened and learned from the Father comes to Me.

46Not that anyone has seen the Father except the One who is from God—He has seen the Father.

47“Amen, amen I tell you, he who believes has eternal life.

48I am the bread of life.

49Your fathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died.

50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat and not die.

51I am the living bread, which came down from heaven. If anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”

52Then the Jews began arguing with one another, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

53So Yeshua said to them, “Amen, amen I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

54He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

55“For My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink.

56He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

57Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who eats of Me will also live because of Me.

58This is the bread that came down from heaven—not like the bread your fathers ate and then died. He who eats this bread will live forever.”

59He said these things while teaching at the synagogue in Capernaum.

Fallout from a Hard Teaching

60So when many of His disciples heard this, they said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can listen to it?”

61But Yeshua knew His disciples were murmuring, so He said to them, “Does this offend you?

62Then what if you see the Son of Man going back up to the place where He was before?

63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no benefit. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and are life!

64Yet some of you do not trust.” Yeshua knew from the beginning who were the ones who did not trust, as well as which one would betray Him.

65Then He told them, “For this reason I’ve told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by the Father.”

66From this time, many of His disciples left and quit walking with Him.

67So Yeshua said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to leave also, do you?”

68Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life!

69We have trusted and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

70Yeshua answered them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is the adversary!”

71Now He was speaking of Judah, the son of Simon of Kriot—for he, one of the Twelve, was about to betray Him.

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