Five Thousand Men Fed

1After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2A large crowd was following Him, because they were watching the [a]signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3But Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples. 4Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5So Jesus, after raising His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?” 6But He was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what He intended to do. 7Philip answered Him, “Two hundred [b]denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, for each to receive just a little!” 8One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, 9“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?” 10Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about [c]five thousand in number. 11Jesus then took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12And when they had eaten their fill, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.” 13So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14Therefore when the people saw the [d]sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus Walks on the Water

15So Jesus, aware that they [e]intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.

16Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing. 19Then, when they had rowed about [f]twenty-five or thirty stadia, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened. 20But He *said to them, “It is I; [g]do not be afraid.” 21So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

22The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there except one, and that Jesus had not gotten into the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had departed alone. 23Other small boats came from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum, looking for Jesus. 25And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Words to the People

26Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw [h]signs, but because you ate some of the loaves and were filled. 27Do not work 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, has set His [i]seal.” 28Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30So they said to Him, “What then are You doing as a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work are You performing? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’” 32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33For the bread of God is [j]that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.” 34Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

35Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty. 36But I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe. 37Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Words to the Jews

41So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42And they were saying, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. 44No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard 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. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat from it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I will give for the life of the world also is My flesh.”

52Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58This is the bread that came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

Words to the Disciples