John 6:52–66

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

⁵³So Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man^p and drink his blood,^q you do not have life in yourselves. ⁵⁴The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood^r has eternal life, and I will raise^s him up on the last day, ⁵⁵because 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.^{t 57}Just as the living^u Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live^v because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the manna^D your ancestors ate—and they died. The one who eats this bread will live forever.”^w

⁵⁹He said these things while teaching in the synagogue^x in Capernaum.^y

MANY DISCIPLES DESERT JESUS

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

⁶¹Jesus, knowing in himself^z that his disciples were grumbling about this, asked them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²Then what if you were to observe the Son of Man^aa ascending^ab to where he was before? ⁶³The Spirit^ac 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. ⁶⁴But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning^ad those who did not^F believe and the one who would betray^ae him.) ⁶⁵He said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me^af unless it is granted to him by the Father.”

⁶⁶From that moment^A many of his disciples turned back and no longer accompanied him.