John 6:25
What does John 6:25 mean?
A plain-English look at John 6:25 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 6:25 means
When they find Jesus across the sea, they ask, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” Their respectful title shows interest, but their question skirts the real issue. They are puzzled by His unexplained arrival, perhaps hoping for another marvel, yet they do not ask what the sign meant. Jesus will not indulge idle curiosity or let them steer the conversation. He will answer their hearts, not their lips, exposing why they seek Him. The contrast is sharp: they fixate on timing; He will speak about motives and eternal priorities.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
KJV
King James Version · 1611And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And when they found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And when they came across him on the other side of the sea they said, Rabbi, when did you come here?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, `Rabbi, when hast thou come hither?'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And when they had found him on that other side of the sea, they said to him: Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And having found him the other side of the sea, they said to him, Rabbi, when art thou arrived here?
Context
This encounter begins the Capernaum dialogue. It follows the crowd’s determined crossing and precedes Jesus’s probing reply. The polite inquiry provides Jesus the opening to address their true hunger. The next verses shift from logistics to spiritual diagnosis: they pursued Him for bread, not for the sign’s significance. From there, Jesus calls them to seek the food that endures and to believe in Him, the One whom the Father has sealed.
v.24when the multitude therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
v.25This passage
v.26Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw signs, but because ye ate of the loaves, and were filled.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 23:7
and the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called of men, Rabbi.
- John 1:38
And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? And they said unto him, Rabbi (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), where abidest thou?
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