1  After this, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee – otherwise called the Lake of Tiberias. 2  A great crowd of people, however, followed him, because they saw the signs of his mission in his work among those who were sick. 3  Jesus went up the hill, and sat down there with his disciples. 4  It was near the time of the Jewish Festival of the Passover. 5  Looking up, and noticing that a great crowd was coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ 6  He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he meant to do. 7 ‘Even if we spent a years’ wages on bread,’ answered Philip, ‘it would not be enough for each of them to have a little.’

8 ‘There is a boy here,’ said Andrew, another of his disciples, Simon Peter’s brother, 9 ‘Who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that for so many?’

10  ‘Make the people sit down,’ said Jesus. It was a grassy spot; so the people, who numbered about five thousand, sat down, 11  and then Jesus took the loaves, and, after saying the thanksgiving, distributed them to those who were sitting down; and the same with the fish, giving the people as much as they wanted. 12  When they were satisfied, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Collect the broken pieces that are left, so that nothing may be wasted.’ 13  The disciples did so, and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves, which were left after all had eaten.

14  When the people saw the signs which Jesus gave, they said, ‘This is certainly the prophet who was to come into the world.’ 15  But Jesus, having discovered that they were intending to come and carry him off to make him king, went again up the hill, quite alone.

16  When evening fell, his disciples went down to the sea, 17  and, getting into a boat, began to cross to Capernaum. By this time darkness had set in, and Jesus had not yet come back to them; 18  the sea, too, was getting rough, for a strong wind was blowing. 19  When they had rowed three or four miles, they caught sight of him walking on the water and approaching the boat, and they were frightened. 20  But Jesus said to them, ‘It is I; do not be afraid!’ 21  And after this they were glad to take him into the boat; and the boat at once arrived off the shore, for which they had been making.

22  The people who remained on the other side of the sea had seen that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not gone into it with his disciples, but that they had left without him. 23  Some boats, however, had come from Tiberias, from near the spot where they had eaten the bread after the Master had said the thanksgiving. 24  So, on the next day, when the people saw that Jesus was not there, or his disciples either, they themselves got into the boats, and went to Capernaum to look for him. 25  And, when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said, ‘When did you get here, Rabbi?’

26  ‘In truth I tell you,’ answered Jesus, ‘it is not because of the signs which you saw that you are looking for me, but because you had the bread to eat and were satisfied. 27  Work, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you; for on him the Father – God himself – has set the seal of his approval.’

28 ‘How,’ they asked, ‘are we to do the work that God wants us to do?’

29  ‘The work that God wants you to do,’ answered Jesus, ‘is to believe in him whom God sent as his messenger.’

30 ‘What sign, then,’ they asked, ‘are you giving, which we may see, and so believe you? What is the work that you are doing? 31  Our ancestors had the manna to eat in the desert; as scripture says – “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’

32  ‘In truth I tell you,’ replied Jesus, ‘Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father does give you the true bread from heaven; 33  for the bread that God gives is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world.’

34 ‘Master,’ they exclaimed, ‘give us that bread always!’

35  ‘I am the life-giving bread,’ Jesus said to them, ‘whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never thirst again. 36  But, as I have said already, you have seen me, and yet you do not believe in me. 37  All those whom the Father gives me will come to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn away. 38  For I have come down from heaven, to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me; 39  and his will is this – that I should not lose one of all those whom he has given me, but should raise them up at the Last day. 40  For it is the will of my Father that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have immortal life; and I myself will raise him up at the Last day.’

41  The people began murmuring against Jesus for saying – “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 ‘Is not this Jesus, Joseph’s son,’ they asked, ‘whose father and mother we know? How is it that he now says that he has come down from heaven?’

43  ‘Do not murmur among yourselves,’ said Jesus in reply. 44  ‘No one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; and I will raise him up at the Last day. 45  It is said in the prophets – “And they will all be taught by God.” Everyone who is taught by the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46  Not that anyone has seen the Father, except him who is from God – he has seen the Father. 47  In truth I tell you, the person who believes in me has eternal life. 48  I am the life-giving bread. 49  Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, and yet died. 50  The bread that comes down from heaven is such that whoever eats of it will never die. 51  I am the living bread that has come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.’

52  They began disputing with one another, ‘How is it possible for this man to give us his flesh to eat?’

53  ‘In truth I tell you,’ answered Jesus, ‘unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his blood, you have not life within you. 54  Everyone who takes my flesh for their food, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise them up at the Last day. 55  For my flesh is true food, and my blood true drink. 56  Everyone who takes my flesh for their food, and drinks my blood, remains united to me, and I to them. 57  As the living Father sent me as his messenger, and as I live because the Father lives, so the person who takes me for their food will live because I live. 58  That is the bread which has come down from heaven – not such as your ancestors ate, and yet died; the person who takes this bread for their food will live for ever.’

59  All this Jesus said in a synagogue, when he was teaching in Capernaum. 60  On hearing it, many of his disciples said, ‘This is harsh doctrine! Who can bear to listen to it?’ 61  But Jesus, aware that his disciples were murmuring about it, said to them, 62  ‘Is this a hindrance to you? What, then, if you should see the Son of Man ascending where he was before? 63  It is the Spirit that gives life; human strength achieves nothing. In the teaching that I have been giving you there is Spirit and there is life. 64  Yet there are some of you who do not believe in me.’ For Jesus knew from the first who they were that did not believe in him, and who it was that would betray him; 65  and he added, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me, unless enabled by the Father.’ 66  After this many of his disciples drew back, and did not go about with him any longer. 67  So Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘Do you also wish to leave me?’ 68  But Simon Peter answered, ‘Master, to whom would we go? Eternal life is in your teaching; 69  and we have learned to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.’

70  ‘Didn’t I myself choose you to be the Twelve?’ replied Jesus, ‘and yet, even of you, one is playing the devil’s part.’ 71  He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who was about to betray him, though he was one of the Twelve.