John 6:35
What does John 6:35 mean?
A plain-English look at John 6:35 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 6:35 means
Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life.” He promises that whoever comes to Him will not hunger, and whoever believes in Him will never thirst. He Himself is the nourishment that satisfies the deepest human need—eternal life in communion with God. Coming and believing are parallel; the act of faith receives Christ as sustenance. This claim surpasses manna: it offered daily calories, but Jesus offers abiding life. He is not merely the distributor of bread; He is the bread. Here He centers salvation on Himself, inviting all to find in Him the end of soul-hunger and the quenching of spiritual thirst.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And this was the answer of Jesus: I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be in need of food, and he who has faith in me will never be in need of drink.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And Jesus said to them, `I am the bread of the life; he who is coming unto me may not hunger, and he who is believing in me may not thirst--at any time;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And Jesus said to them: I am the bread of life. He that cometh to me shall not hunger: and he that believeth in me shall never thirst.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890[And] Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life: he that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst at any time.
Context
This climactic claim answers the crowd’s request for continual bread and builds on the Father’s present giving. It introduces a series of promises and explanations about unbelief, divine giving, Jesus’s mission from heaven, and the certainty of resurrection for believers. Immediately after this, Jesus laments that some have seen Him yet do not believe, which leads into teaching about those the Father gives to the Son.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 6:65
And he said, For this cause have I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.
- Luke 6:25
Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
- John 4:13
Jesus answered and said unto her, Every one that drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
- John 5:40
and ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.
- John 7:37
Now on the last day, the greatdayof the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.
- John 6:37
All that which the Father giveth me shall come unto me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
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