John 6:44-69

New International Version

⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(A) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[a](B) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(C) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(D) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(E) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(F) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(G) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(H) that came down from heaven.^(I) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(J)

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

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

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples^(T) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”^(U)

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(V) 62} Then what if you see the Son of Man^(W) ascend to where he was before!^{(X) 63} The Spirit gives life;^(Y) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[b] and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^(Z) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{(AA) 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.”^(AB)

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

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

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