6:1 After this 1 Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberias). 2 6:2 A large crowd was following him because they were observing the miraculous signs he was performing on the sick. 6:3 So Jesus went on up the mountainside 3 and sat down there with his disciples. 6:4 (Now the Jewish feast of the Passover 4 was near.) 5 6:5 Then Jesus, when he looked up 6 and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread so that these people may eat?” 6:6 (Now Jesus 7 said this to test him, for he knew what he was going to do.) 8 6:7 Philip replied, 9 “Two hundred silver coins worth 10 of bread would not be enough for them, for each one to get a little.” 6:8 One of Jesus’ disciples, 11 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 6:9 “Here is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what good 12 are these for so many people?”
6:10 Jesus said, “Have 13 the people sit down.” (Now there was a lot of grass in that place.) 14 So the men 15 sat down, about five thousand in number. 6:11 Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed the bread to those who were seated. He then did the same with the fish, 16 as much as they wanted. 6:12 When they were all satisfied, Jesus 17 said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces that are left over, so that nothing is wasted.” 6:13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves 18 left over by the people who had eaten.
6:14 Now when the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus 19 performed, they began to say to one another, “This is certainly the Prophet 20 who is to come into the world.” 21 6:15 Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone. 22
6:16 Now when evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 23 6:17 got into a boat, and started to cross the lake 24 to Capernaum. 25 (It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.) 26 6:18 By now a strong wind was blowing and the sea was getting rough. 6:19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, 27 they caught sight of Jesus walking on the lake, 28 approaching the boat, and they were frightened. 6:20 But he said to them, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” 6:21 Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat came to the land where they had been heading.
6:22 The next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the lake 29 realized that only one small boat 30 had been there, and that Jesus had not boarded 31 it with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. 6:23 But some boats from Tiberias 32 came to shore 33 near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 34 6:24 So when the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats 35 and came to Capernaum 36 looking for Jesus.
6:25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, 37 they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” 38 6:26 Jesus replied, 39 “I tell you the solemn truth, 40 you are looking for me not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you ate all the loaves of bread you wanted. 41 6:27 Do not work for the food that disappears, 42 but for the food that remains to eternal life – the food 43 which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has put his seal of approval on him.” 44
6:28 So then they said to him, “What must we do to accomplish the deeds 45 God requires?” 46 6:29 Jesus replied, 47 “This is the deed 48 God requires 49 – to believe in the one whom he 50 sent.” 6:30 So they said to him, “Then what miraculous sign will you perform, so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 6:31 Our ancestors 51 ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 52
6:32 Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the solemn truth, 53 it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but my Father is giving you the true bread from heaven. 6:33 For the bread of God is the one who 54 comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 6:34 So they said to him, “Sir, 55 give us this bread all the time!”
6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty. 56 6:36 But I told you 57 that you have seen me 58 and still do not believe.