Naravist

The Gospels · New Testament

John 6

John 6: five loaves for five thousand and the bread of life

General context

A great multitude follows Jesus over the sea of Galilee because they have seen his miracles. He asks Philip where bread can be bought, and the narrator says he asked to prove him, knowing already what he would do. Philip answers that two hundred pennyworth is not enough; Andrew points out a lad with five barley loaves and two small fishes. About five thousand men sit down, Jesus gives thanks and distributes, and twelve baskets of fragments remain. When the men say he is that prophet and move to make him a king by force, he withdraws alone. That evening the disciples row toward Capernaum in a wind-driven sea and see him walking on the water; he tells them not to fear. The crowd follows to Capernaum, and in the synagogue he says they seek him for the loaves, speaks of the true bread from heaven and says he is the bread of life. The Jews murmur at his words about coming down from heaven and about eating his flesh, many disciples turn back, and Peter answers for the twelve.

Cited passages: John 6:2, John 6:5, John 6:6, John 6:7, John 6:9, John 6:10, John 6:11, John 6:13, John 6:14, John 6:15, John 6:18, John 6:19, John 6:20, John 6:26, John 6:32, John 6:35, John 6:41, John 6:52, John 6:60, John 6:66, John 6:68

John 6 (KJV)

1After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.

2And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

3And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.

4And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

5When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?

6And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

7Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,

9There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?

10And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

12When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

13Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.

14Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

15When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

16And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,

17And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

18And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

19So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

20But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

21Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.

22The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;

23(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)

24When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

25And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

26Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

30They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

32Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

33For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

34Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

35And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

36But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

37All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

38For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

41The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

42And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?

43Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.

44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

46Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

47Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48I am that bread of life.

49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

59These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

60Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

61When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

62What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?

63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.

65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

70Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

71He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

This page shows the King James Version. In the app, reading opens in the Berean Standard Bible unless you have chosen another translation. The reader includes five translations: the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), the King James Version (KJV), the World English Bible (WEB), the Bible in Basic English (BBE), and the American Standard Version (ASV). Search covers three of them: Berean Standard, King James, and World English. Basic English and American Standard readers search the King James words.

Historical context

The narrator gives several details the people in the scene do not have: that the question to Philip was a test, that Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe, and that the one called a devil was Judas Iscariot the son of Simon. The setting is fixed by the passover being near and by the synagogue in Capernaum. The count of about five thousand is of the men who sat down. The title that prophet is spoken by the crowd, and the move to make him a king is stated as their intention that Jesus perceived. Peter's words are his own confession on behalf of the twelve, and Jesus answers with a question about choosing them, so the chapter records both the confession and the warning together.

Cited passages: John 6:6, John 6:64, John 6:71, John 6:4, John 6:59, John 6:10, John 6:14, John 6:15, John 6:69, John 6:70

Literary context

The chapter moves from a meal to a long argument about the meal's meaning, and the crowd keeps turning the talk back to supply. Their appeal to manna in the desert is answered by a correction about who gave it. The phrase bread from heaven is repeated and pressed until it becomes flesh and blood, and the reaction moves in stages, from murmuring to striving among themselves to disciples calling it a hard saying. Numbers mark the two halves, five loaves and five thousand at the start, twelve baskets and then the twelve at the end. The crowd that wanted to crown him and the disciples who walk away frame Peter's question about where else to go.

Cited passages: John 6:9, John 6:13, John 6:31, John 6:32, John 6:34, John 6:41, John 6:51, John 6:52, John 6:60, John 6:15, John 6:66, John 6:67, John 6:68

Key moments

  1. A question to test Philip (John 6:5). Jesus asks Philip where bread can be bought for the crowd.
  2. Five loaves and two fishes (John 6:9). Andrew points out a boy with five barley loaves and two small fishes.
  3. Twelve baskets left over (John 6:13). The fragments gathered fill twelve baskets.
  4. Withdrawal from a crown (John 6:15). Jesus perceives they mean to make him king by force and goes away alone.
  5. Walking on the sea (John 6:20). He tells the frightened disciples on the water not to be afraid.
  6. I am the bread of life (John 6:35). Jesus names himself the bread of life to the crowd at Capernaum.
  7. Many turn back (John 6:66). Many disciples stop following him, and Peter answers for the twelve.

For reflection

The crowd is fed and then told they are seeking him because they were filled. What does the chapter set against wanting the thing that was given?

People in this chapter

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