John 6

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

1After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee. That lake is also called the Sea of Tiberias.

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

2A big crowd followed him. They had seen him heal sick people in powerful ways.

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

3Jesus went up on the mountain. He sat down there with his disciples, his close followers.

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

4The Passover was near. It was a special holiday for the Jewish people.

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?

5Jesus looked up and saw a big crowd coming to him. He said to Philip, "Where can we buy bread for all these people?"

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

6Jesus asked this to test Philip. He already knew what he was going to do.

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

7Philip answered, "Even eight months of pay would not buy enough bread. Each person would only get a tiny piece."

NoteThe KJV says "two hundred pennyworth." That means two hundred denarii, and one denarius was one day's pay for a worker. So Philip is talking about roughly eight months of wages.

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

8Andrew was one of his disciples. He was Simon Peter's brother. Andrew said to Jesus,

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

9"There is a boy here with five barley loaves and two small fish. But that is almost nothing for so many people."

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.

10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place. So the men sat down. There were about five thousand of them.

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.

11Jesus took the loaves and thanked God for them. He handed the food out to the people sitting there. He did the same with the fish. Everyone got as much as they wanted.

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

12When they were full, he said to his disciples, "Pick up the leftover pieces. Do not waste any of it."

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.

13So they picked the pieces up. The leftovers from the five barley loaves filled twelve baskets.

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.

14The people saw the sign that Jesus did. They said, "This really is the Prophet that God promised to send 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.

15Jesus knew they wanted to grab him and make him king. So he went away up the mountain by himself.

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

16When evening came, his disciples went down to 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.

17They got into a boat and set out across the sea toward Capernaum. It was dark by then, and Jesus had not come to them.

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

18A strong wind was blowing. The water grew rough.

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.

19They had rowed about three or four miles. Then they saw Jesus walking on the water and coming near the boat. They were afraid.

NoteThe KJV measures the distance in furlongs. Twenty-five or thirty furlongs is about three or four miles.

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

20But he said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid."

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

21They were glad to take him into the boat. Right away the boat reached the shore they were going to.

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;

22The next day the crowd was still on the other side of the sea. They knew only one boat had been there. They knew Jesus had not gotten into it. His disciples had gone away without him.

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

23But some other boats came over from Tiberias. They landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord gave 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.

24So the crowd saw that Jesus and his disciples were gone. They got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Jesus.

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

25They found him on the other side of the sea. They asked him, "Rabbi, teacher, when did you get here?"

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.

26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. You are not looking for me because you understood the signs. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and got full.

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.

27Do not work for food that spoils. Work for the food that lasts and gives life that never ends. The Son of Man will give you that food. Son of Man is a name Jesus used for himself. God the Father has put his own mark of approval on him."

NoteIn the KJV, "meat" means food of any kind, not just meat from animals. The same is true in verse 55, where "my flesh is meat indeed" means "my flesh is real food."

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

28Then they asked him, "What should we do to do the work God wants?"

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

29Jesus answered, "This is the work God wants. Believe in the one he sent."

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

30So they said to him, "What sign will you do, so we can see it and believe you? What work will you do?

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

31Our ancestors ate manna in the desert. Manna was the bread God sent them there. The Scriptures say, '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.

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. Moses did not give you that bread from heaven. My Father is the one who gives you the true bread from heaven.

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

33God's bread is the one who comes down from heaven. He gives life to the world."

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

34Then they said, "Sir, give us this bread all the time."

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.

35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

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

36But I told you this already. You have seen me, and you still do not believe.

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

37Everyone the Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me.

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

38I came down from heaven. I did not come to do what I want. I came to do what the one who sent me wants.

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.

39This is what the one who sent me wants. He wants me to lose none of the people he gave me. He wants me to raise them up on 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.

40This is what my Father wants. Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him will have life that never ends. And I will raise him up on the last day."

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

41The Jews there began to grumble about him. He had said, "I am the bread that 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?

42They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph? We know his father and his mother. So how can he say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

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

43Jesus answered them, "Stop grumbling to each other.

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.

44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me pulls him to me. And I will raise him up on 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.

45The prophets wrote, 'They will all be taught by God.' So everyone who has listened to the Father and learned from him comes to me.

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

46No person has ever seen the Father. Only the one who comes from God has seen the Father.

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

47I tell you the truth. Whoever believes in me has life that never ends.

48I am that bread of life.

48I am that bread of life.

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

49Your ancestors ate manna in the desert, and they died.

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

50This is the bread that comes down from heaven. Anyone can eat it 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.

51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever. The bread I will give is my flesh, my own body. I give it so the world can live."

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

52So the Jews argued with each other. They said, "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.

53Then Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth. You must eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood. If you do not, you 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.

54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has life that never ends. And I will raise him up on the last day.

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

55My flesh is real food. My blood is real drink.

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

56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood stays joined to me. And I stay joined to 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.

57The living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father. In the same way, whoever feeds on me will live because of 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.

58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and then died. Whoever eats this bread will live forever."

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

59Jesus said all this in the synagogue while he taught in Capernaum. A synagogue is a building where Jewish people meet to worship.

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

60Many of his followers heard this. They said, "This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?"

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

61Jesus knew inside himself that his followers were grumbling about it. So he said to them, "Does this upset you?

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

62Then what will you think if you see the Son of Man go back up to 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.

63The Spirit is what gives life. The flesh is no help at all. The words I have spoken to you 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.

64But some of you do not believe." Jesus had known from the start who did not believe. He also knew who would hand him over to his enemies.

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

65He said, "That is why I told you this. No one can come to me unless the Father allows it."

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

66After that, many of his followers turned back. They stopped walking with him.

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

67So Jesus said to the twelve, his twelve closest followers, "Do you want to leave too?"

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

68Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, who else could we go to? You have the words that give life that never ends.

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

69We believe, and we are sure, that you are the Christ, the one God promised to send. You are the Son of the living God."

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

70Jesus answered them, "I chose you twelve, didn't I? Yet 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.

71He was talking about Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Judas was one of the twelve. He was the one who would later hand Jesus over.