John 6:22–42

The People Seek Jesus

²²The next day the people who had stayed on the other side of the lake knew that Jesus had not gone in the boat with his followers but that they had left without him. And they knew that only one boat had been there. ²³But then some boats came from Tiberias and landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴When the people saw that Jesus and his followers were not there now, they got into boats and went to Capernaum to find Jesus.

Jesus, the Bread of Life

²⁵When the people found Jesus on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Teacher, when did you come here?”

²⁶Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, you aren’t looking for me because you saw me do miracles. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and were satisfied. ²⁷Don’t work for the food that spoils. Work for the food that stays good always and gives eternal life. The Son of Man will give you this food, because on him God the Father has put his power.”

²⁸The people asked Jesus, “What are the things God wants us to do?”

²⁹Jesus answered, “The work God wants you to do is this: Believe the One he sent.”

³⁰So the people asked, “What miracle will you do? If we see a miracle, we will believe you. What will you do? ³¹Our ancestors ate the manna in the desert. This is written in the Scriptures: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” ⁿ

³²Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, it was not Moses who gave you bread from heaven; it is my Father who is giving you the true bread from heaven. ³³God’s bread is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

³⁴The people said, “Sir, give us this bread always.”

³⁵Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶But as I told you before, you have seen me and still don’t believe. ³⁷The Father gives me the people who are mine. Every one of them will come to me, and I will always accept them. ³⁸I came down from heaven to do what God wants me to do, not what I want to do. ³⁹Here is what the One who sent me wants me to do: I must not lose even one whom God gave me, but I must raise them all on the last day. ⁴⁰Those who see the Son and believe in him have eternal life, and I will raise them on the last day. This is what my Father wants.”

⁴¹Some people began to complain about Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that comes down from heaven.” ⁴²They said, “This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”