Focused Passage

John 6:16-21

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

16When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was already dark, and Jesus had not yet gone out to them.

18A strong wind was blowing, and the sea grew agitated.

19When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the sea—and they were terrified.

20But Jesus spoke up: “It is I; do not be afraid.”

21Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and at once the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 16

Original words

-δὲG1161ConjunctionWhenὩςG5613AdverbeveningὀψίαG3798Adjective - Nominative Feminine SingularcameἐγένετοG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person SingularHisαὐτοῦG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular-οἱG3588Article - Nominative Masculine PluraldisciplesμαθηταὶG3101Noun - Nominative Masculine Pluralwent downκατέβησανG2597Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person PluraltoἐπὶG1909PrepositiontheτὴνG3588Article - Accusative Feminine SingularseaθάλασσανG2281Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Verse 17

Original words

-καὶG2532Conjunctiongot intoἐμβάντεςG1684Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural. . .εἰςG1519Prepositiona boatπλοῖονG4143Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular[and] startedἤρχοντοG2064Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person PluralacrossπέρανG4008PrepositiontheτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularseaθαλάσσηςG2281Noun - Genitive Feminine SingulartoεἰςG1519PrepositionCapernaumΚαφαρναούμG2584Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular-καὶG2532ConjunctionIt wasἐγεγόνειG1096Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingularalreadyἤδηG2235AdverbdarkσκοτίαG4653Noun - Nominative Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦςG2424Noun - Nominative Masculine SingularvvvοὔπωG3768Adverbhad not yet gone outἐληλύθειG2064Verb - Pluperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person SingulartoπρὸςG4314PrepositionthemαὐτοὺςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Verse 18

Original words

A strongμεγάλουG3173Adjective - Genitive Masculine SingularwindἀνέμουG417Noun - Genitive Masculine Singularwas blowingπνέοντοςG4154Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine SingularandτεG5037ConjunctiontheG3588Article - Nominative Feminine SingularseaθάλασσαG2281Noun - Nominative Feminine Singulargrew agitatedδιεγείρετοG1326Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 19

Original words

[When]οὖνG3767Conjunctionthey had rowedἘληλακότεςG1643Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Nominative Masculine PluralaboutὡςG5613Adverbthree or four milesεἴκοσιG1501Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural. . .πέντεG4002Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural. . .G2228Conjunction. . .τριάκονταG5144Adjective - Accusative Masculine Plural. . .σταδίουςG4712Noun - Accusative Masculine Pluralthey sawθεωροῦσινG2334Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural-τὸνG3588Article - Accusative Masculine SingularJesusἸησοῦνG2424Noun - Accusative Masculine SingularapproachingγινόμενονG1096Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular. . .ἐγγὺςG1451PrepositiontheτοῦG3588Article - Genitive Neuter SingularboatπλοίουG4143Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular-καὶG2532ConjunctionwalkingπεριπατοῦνταG4043Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine SingularonἐπὶG1909PrepositiontheτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularseaθαλάσσηςG2281Noun - Genitive Feminine SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionthey were terrifiedἐφοβήθησανG5399Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • Greek about twenty-five or thirty stadia; that is, approximately 2.87 to 3.45 miles (4.62 to 5.55 kilometers)
Verse 20

Original words

ButδὲG1161Conjunction-G3588Article - Nominative Masculine Singular[Jesus] spoke upλέγειG3004Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular. . .αὐτοῖςG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person PluralIt isεἰμιG1510Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person SingularIἘγώG1473Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 1st Person Singular{do} notμὴG3361Adverbbe afraidφοβεῖσθεG5399Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 21

Original words

ThenοὖνG3767Conjunctionthey were willingἤθελονG2309Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Pluralto takeλαβεῖνG2983Verb - Aorist Infinitive ActiveHimαὐτὸνG846Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person SingularintoεἰςG1519PrepositiontheτὸG3588Article - Accusative Neuter SingularboatπλοῖονG4143Noun - Accusative Neuter SingularandκαὶG2532Conjunctionat onceεὐθέωςG2112AdverbtheτὸG3588Article - Nominative Neuter SingularboatπλοῖονG4143Noun - Nominative Neuter SingularreachedἐγένετοG1096Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular. . .ἐπὶG1909PrepositiontheτῆςG3588Article - Genitive Feminine SingularshoreγῆςG1093Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular-εἰςG1519PrepositionwhereἣνG3739Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singularthey were headingὑπῆγονG5217Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

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.