Focused Passage

John 6:1-15

The Bread of Life, the Words of Eternal Life, and the Crisis of True Discipleship

Jesus feeds the crowd as a sign, reveals his divine presence over the sea, rebukes bread-seeking unbelief, declares himself the bread of life from heaven, teaches that life comes through faith in his flesh given for the world, and exposes true discipleship when many turn back but the Twelve are called to confess him.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 After this, Jesus crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias).

2 A large crowd followed Him because they saw the signs He was performing on the sick.

3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain and sat down with His disciples.

4 Now the Jewish Feast of the Passover was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where can we buy bread for these people to eat?”

6 But He was asking this to test him, for He knew what He was about to do.

7 Philip answered, “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to have a small piece.”

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

9 “Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But what difference will these make among so many?”

10 “Have the people sit down,” Jesus said. Now there was plenty of grass in that place, so the men sat down, about five thousand of them.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted.

12 And when everyone was full, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over, so that nothing will be wasted.”

13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

15 Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

After Μετὰ G3326 Preposition this ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular crossed ἀπῆλθεν G565 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to the other side πέραν G4008 Preposition of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular Sea θαλάσσης G2281 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular of Galilee Γαλιλαίας G1056 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular ( that [is] τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular [the Sea] of Tiberias ) Τιβεριάδος G5085 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 2

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction A large πολύς G4183 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular crowd ὄχλος G3793 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular followed ἠκολούθει G190 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they saw ἐθεώρουν* G2334 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural signs σημεῖα G4592 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural He was performing ἐποίει G4160 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural sick ἀσθενούντων G770 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 3

Original words

Then δὲ G1161 Conjunction Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular went up ἀνῆλθεν G424 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular on εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular mountain ὄρος G3735 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction sat down ἐκάθητο G2521 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular - ἐκεῖ G1563 Adverb with μετὰ G3326 Preposition His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural disciples μαθητῶν G3101 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Verse 4

Original words

Now δὲ G1161 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular vvv τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural Jewish Ἰουδαίων G2453 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural Feast ἑορτὴ G1859 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of the τὸ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Singular Passover πάσχα G3957 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular was Ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular near ἐγγὺς G1451 Adverb
Verse 5

Original words

[When] οὖν G3767 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular looked up ἐπάρας G1869 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular . . . τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural . . . ὀφθαλμοὺς G3788 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction saw θεασάμενος G2300 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Nominative Masculine Singular - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction a large πολὺς G4183 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular crowd ὄχλος G3793 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular coming ἔρχεται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular toward πρὸς G4314 Preposition Him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular He said λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to πρὸς G4314 Preposition Philip Φίλιππον G5376 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Where Πόθεν G4159 Adverb can we buy ἀγοράσωμεν G59 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural bread ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural for ἵνα G2443 Conjunction these [people] οὗτοι G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural to eat φάγωσιν G5315 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Verse 6

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction He was asking ἔλεγεν G2036 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular this τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular to test πειράζων G3985 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular him αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular for γὰρ G1063 Conjunction He αὐτὸς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular knew ᾔδει G1492 Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular what τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular He was about ἔμελλεν G3195 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to do ποιεῖν G4160 Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Verse 7

Original words

Philip Φίλιππος G5376 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular answered Ἀπεκρίθη G611 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Two hundred Διακοσίων G1250 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural denarii δηναρίων G1220 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb would not [buy] enough ἀρκοῦσιν G714 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural bread ἄρτοι G740 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural for αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural . . . ἵνα G2443 Conjunction each {of them} ἕκαστος G1538 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular to have λάβῃ G2983 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular a τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular small [piece] βραχύ G1024 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • A denarius was customarily a day’s wage for a laborer; see Matthew 20:2.
Verse 8

Original words

One εἷς G1520 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular of ἐκ G1537 Preposition His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural disciples μαθητῶν G3101 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural Andrew Ἀνδρέας G406 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Simon Σίμωνος G4613 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular Peter’s Πέτρου G4074 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular brother ἀδελφὸς G80 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular said Λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to Him αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 9

Original words

Here ὧδε G5602 Adverb is Ἔστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a boy παιδάριον G3808 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular - ὃς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular [with] ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular five πέντε G4002 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural barley κριθίνους G2916 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction two δύο G1417 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural small fish ὀψάρια G3795 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural But ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction what [ difference ] τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular vvv ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular will these make ταῦτα G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural among εἰς G1519 Preposition so many τοσούτους G5118 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Verse 10

Original words

Have Ποιήσατε G4160 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural [people] ἀνθρώπους G444 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural sit down ἀναπεσεῖν G377 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular said Εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Now δὲ G1161 Conjunction there was ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular plenty of πολὺς G4183 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular grass χόρτος G5528 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition [that] τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular place τόπῳ G5117 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular so οὖν G3767 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural men ἄνδρες G435 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural sat down ἀνέπεσαν G377 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural about ὡς G5613 Adverb five thousand πεντακισχίλιοι G4000 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular [of them] ἀριθμὸν G706 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 11

Original words

Then οὖν G3767 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular took Ἔλαβεν G2983 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτους G740 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and ὁμοίως G3668 Adverb . . . καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural fish ὀψαρίων G3795 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural - καὶ G2532 Conjunction gave thanks εὐχαριστήσας G2168 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [and] distributed διέδωκεν G1239 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to those τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural who were seated ἀνακειμένοις G345 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Plural as much as ὅσον G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular they wanted ἤθελον G2309 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Verse 12

Original words

And δὲ G1161 Conjunction when Ὡς G5613 Adverb everyone was full ἐνεπλήσθησαν G1705 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural He said λέγει G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular to τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular disciples μαθηταῖς G3101 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural Gather Συναγάγετε G4863 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural pieces κλάσματα G2801 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural that are left over περισσεύσαντα G4052 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Plural so that ἵνα G2443 Conjunction vvv μή G3361 Adverb nothing τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular will be wasted ἀπόληται G622 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 13

Original words

So οὖν G3767 Conjunction they collected [them] συνήγαγον G4863 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction filled ἐγέμισαν G1072 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural twelve δώδεκα G1427 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural baskets κοφίνους G2894 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural with the pieces κλασμάτων G2801 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural of ἐκ G1537 Preposition the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural five πέντε G4002 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural - τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural barley κριθίνων G2916 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural loaves ἄρτων G740 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Plural left over ἐπερίσσευσαν G4052 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural by those τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural who had eaten βεβρωκόσιν G977 Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 14

Original words

[When] οὖν G3767 Conjunction the Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural people ἄνθρωποι G444 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural saw ἰδόντες G3708 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural the sign σημεῖον G4592 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular that G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular [Jesus] had performed ἐποίησεν G4160 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular they began to say ἔλεγον G2036 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction Truly ἀληθῶς G230 Adverb this Οὗτός G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Prophet προφήτης G4396 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular who G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular is to come ἐρχόμενος G2064 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular into εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular world κόσμον G2889 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular

BSB notes

  • SBL, NA, NE, and WH He had performed
Verse 15

Original words

Then οὖν G3767 Conjunction Jesus Ἰησοῦς G2424 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular realizing γνοὺς G1097 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular that ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they were about μέλλουσιν G3195 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to come ἔρχεσθαι G2064 Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - ἵνα G2443 Conjunction make ποιήσωσιν G4160 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural Him αὐτὸν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular king βασιλέα G935 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular by force ἁρπάζειν G726 Verb - Present Infinitive Active withdrew ἀνεχώρησεν G402 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular again πάλιν G3825 Adverb to εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular a mountain ὄρος G3735 Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular by Himself αὐτὸς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular . . . μόνος G3441 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.