John 6:60–71

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. ⁶⁷So Jesus said to the Twelve,^ag “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”

⁶⁸Simon Peter^ah answered, “Lord, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”^Bai

⁷⁰Jesus replied to them, “Didn’t I choose you, the Twelve?^aj Yet one of you is a devil.”^{ak 71}He was referring to Judas,^al Simon Iscariot’s son,^C one of the Twelve, because he was going to betray^am him.