6 22 NEXT MORNING the crowd was standing on the opposite shore. They had seen only one boat there, and Jesus, they knew, had not embarked with his disciples, who had gone away without him. 6 23 Boats from Tiberias, however, came ashore Some witnesses read: Other boats from Tiberias came ashore ... near the place where the people had eaten the bread over which the Lord gave thanks. Some witnesses omit: which ... thanks. 6 24 When the people saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were any longer there, they themselves went aboard these boats and made fur Capernaum in search of Jesus.
6 25 They found him on the other side. 'Rabbi,' they said, 'when did you come here?' 6 26 Jesus replied, 'In very truth I know that you have not come looking for me because you saw signs, but because you ate the bread and your hunger was satisfied. 6 27 You must work, not for this perishable food, but for the food that lasts, the food of eternal life.
'This food the Son of Man will give you, for he it is upon whom the Father has set the seal of his authority.' 6 28 'Then what must we do', they asked him, 'if we are to work as God would have us work?' 6 29 Jesus replied, 'This is the work that God requires: believe in the one whom he has sent.' 6 30 They said, 'What sign can you give us to see, so that we may believe you? What is the work you do? 6 31 [ Ex.16.13-14, Ps.78.24. ] Our ancestors had manna to eat in the desert, as Scripture says, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat."' 6 32 Jesus answered, 'I tell you this: the truth is, not that Moses gave you the bread from heaven, but that my Father gives you the real bread from heaven. 6 33 The bread that God gives comes down Or: is he who comes down ... from heaven and brings life to the world.' 6 34 They said to him, 'Sir, give us this bread now and always.'
6 35 Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me shall never be hungry, and whoever believes in me shall never be thirsty. 6 36 But you, as I said, do not believe although you have seen. Some witnesses add: me. 6 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the man who comes to me I will never turn away. 6 38 I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 6 39 It is his will that I should not lose even one of all that he has given me, but raise them all up on the last day. 6 40 For it is my Father's will that everyone who looks upon the Son and puts his faith in him shall possess eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day.'
6 41 At this the Jews began to murmur disapprovingly because he said, 'I am the bread which came down from heaven.' 6 42 They said, 'Surely this is Jesus son of Joseph; we know his father and mother. How can he now say, "I have come down from heaven"?' 6 43 Jesus answered, 'Stop murmuring among yourselves. 6 44 No man can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise him up on the last day. 6 45 [ Is.54.13, Jr.31.33. ] It is written in the prophets: "And they shall all be taught by God." Everyone who has listened to the Father and learned from him comes to me. 6 46 'I do not mean that anyone has seen the Father. He who has come from God has seen the Father, and he alone. 6 47 In truth, in very truth I tell you, the believer possesses eternal life. 6 48 I am the bread of life. 6 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert and they are dead. 6 50 I am speaking of the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat, and never die. 6 51 I am that living bread which has come down from heaven: if anyone eats this bread he shall live for ever. Moreover, the bread which I will give is my own flesh; I give it for the life of the world.'
6 52 This led to a fierce dispute among the Jews. 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' they said. 6 53 Jesus replied, 'In truth, in very truth I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you can have no life in you. 6 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood possesses eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 6 55 My flesh is real food; my blood is real drink. 6 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood dwells continually in me and I dwell in him. 6 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me shall live because of me. 6 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven; and it is not like the bread which our fathers ate: they are dead, but whoever eats this bread shall live for ever,' 6 59 THIS WAS SPOKEN in synagogue when Jesus was teaching in Capernaum.