Jesus, the Bread of Life

²⁵The people found Jesus on the other side of the lake. They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when did you come here?" ²⁶Jesus answered, "Why are you looking for me? Are you looking for me because you saw me do miracles* that prove my power? No! I tell you the truth. You are looking for me because you ate the bread and you were satisfied (full). ²⁷Earthly food spoils and ruins. So don't work to get that kind of food. But work to get the food that stays good always and gives you life forever. The Son of Man* will give you that food. God the Father showed that he is with the Son of Man." ²⁸The people asked Jesus, "What are the things God wants us to do?" ²⁹Jesus answered, "The work God wants you to do is this: to believe in the One that God sent." ³⁰So the people asked, "What miracle* will you do to prove [that you are the One God sent]? If we can see you do a miracle, then we will believe you. What will you do? ³¹Our fathers (ancestors) ate the manna (food) God gave them in the desert. This is written in the Scriptures*: 'God gave them bread from heaven to eat.'*" ³²Jesus said, "I tell you the truth. Moses was not the one that gave your people bread from heaven. But my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³What is the bread of God? God's bread is the One that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." ³⁴The people said, "Sir, give us this bread always." ³⁵Then Jesus said, "I am the bread that gives life. The person that comes to me will never be hungry. The person that believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶I told you before that you have seen me, and still you don't believe. ³⁷The Father gives me my people. Every one of those people will come to me. I will always accept every person that comes to me. ³⁸I came down from heaven to do what God wants me to do. I did not come to do what I want to do. ³⁹I must not lose any person that God has given me. But I must raise up those people on the last day. This is what the One who sent me wants me to do. ⁴⁰Every person that sees the Son and believes in him has life forever. I will raise up that person on the last day. This is what my Father wants." ⁴¹The Jews began to complain about Jesus. They complained because Jesus said, "I am the bread that comes down from heaven." ⁴²The Jews said, "This is Jesus. We know his father and mother. Jesus is only Joseph's son. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven'?" ⁴³But Jesus said, "Stop complaining to each other. ⁴⁴The Father is the One who sent me. And the Father is the One who brings people to me. I will raise up those people on the last day. If the Father does not bring a person to me, then that person cannot come to me. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets*: 'God will teach all the people.'* People listen to the Father and learn from him. Those people come to me. ⁴⁶I don't mean that anyone has seen the Father. The only person that has ever seen the Father is the One that came from God. That person has seen the Father. ⁴⁷I tell you the truth. If a person believes, then that person has life forever. ⁴⁸I am the bread that gives life. ⁴⁹Your ancestors* ate the manna (food) God gave them in the desert. But [like all people], they died. ⁵⁰[I am] the bread that comes down from heaven. If a person eats this bread, he will never die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If a person eats this bread, then that person will live forever. This bread is my body. I will give my body so that the people in the world can have life."

Son of Man A name Jesus used for himself. In Dan. 7:13-14, this is the name for the Messiah, the one God chose to save his people. miracle(s) Miracles are amazing works done by God's power. Scriptures Holy Writings--the Old Testament. 'God gave ... eat' Quote from Ps. 78:24. prophets People that spoke for God. Some of them wrote books that are part of the Old Testament. 'God ... people' Quote from Isa. 54:13. ancestors Literally, "fathers," meaning a person's parents, grandparents, and all the people they are descended from.