51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will livej forever.k The bread that I will give for the lifel of the world is my flesh.”m

52 At that, the Jews arguedn among themselves,o “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Manp and drink his blood,q you do not have life in yourselves. 54 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my bloodr has eternal life, and I will raises him up on the last day, 55 because my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. 56 The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.t 57 Just as the livingu Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will livev because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the mannaD your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”w

59 He said these things while teaching in the synagoguex in Capernaum.y

MANY DISCIPLES DESERT JESUS

60 Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can acceptE it?”

61 Jesus, knowing in himselfz that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you were to observe the Son of Manaa ascendingab to where he was before? 63 The Spiritac is the one who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginningad those who did notF believe and the one who would betrayae him.) 65 He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to meaf unless it is granted to him by the Father.”

66 From that momentG many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve,ag “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”

68 Simon Peterah answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life.