John 6:57–59

6:57 Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who consumes91 me will live because of me. 6:58 This92 is the bread that came down from heaven; it is not like the bread your ancestors93 ate, but then later died.94 The one who eats95 this bread will live forever.”

Many Followers Depart

6:59 Jesus96 said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue97 in Capernaum.98

91	tn Or “who chews”; Grk “who eats.” Here the translation “consumes” is more appropriate than simply “eats,” because it is the internalization of Jesus by the individual that is in view. On the alternation between ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trōgō, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) see the note on “eats” in v. 54.
92	tn Or “This one.”
93	tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
94	tn Grk “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not just like your ancestors ate and died.” The cryptic Greek expression has been filled out in the translation for clarity.
95	tn Or “who chews.” On the alternation between ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat,” v. 53) and τρώγω (trōgō, “eats,” vv. 54, 56, 58; “consumes,” v. 57) see the note on “eats” in v. 54.
96	tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.
97	sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3–4; m. Berakhot 2).
98	map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.