John 6:51–69

⁵¹I am the living bread^a that came down from heaven.^b Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^c

⁵²Then the Jews^d began to argue sharply among themselves,^e “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh^f of the Son of Man^g and drink his blood,^h you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^{i 55}For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.^{j 57}Just as the living Father sent me^k and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^{l 59}He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰On hearing it, many of his disciples^m said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”ⁿ

⁶¹Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{o 62}Then what if you see the Son of Man^p ascend to where he was before!^{q 63}The Spirit gives life;^r the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^e and life. ⁶⁴Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^s from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{t 65}He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^u

⁶⁶From this time many of his disciples^v turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.^w

⁶⁸Simon Peter answered him,^x “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.^{y 69}We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”^z