John 6:52
What does John 6:52 mean?
A plain-English look at John 6:52 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What John 6:52 means
The Jews dispute among themselves, asking, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” They stumble over a literal reading, missing the sacrificial meaning. Their question exposes unbelief and a refusal to see beyond physical categories. Jesus’s words aim at faith-union with His atoning death, not cannibalism. The controversy shows how offensive the cross is to natural thinking. Rather than soften His teaching, Jesus will intensify it, insisting on the necessity of “eating” His flesh and “drinking” His blood to have life.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
KJV
King James Version · 1611The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Then the Jews had an angry discussion among themselves, saying, How is it possible for this man to give us his flesh for food?
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862The Jews, therefore, were striving with one another, saying, `How is this one able to give us <FI>his<Fi> flesh to eat?'
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The Jews therefore contended among themselves, saying, How can he give us this flesh to eat?
Context
This reaction follows Jesus’s declaration that He will give His flesh for the life of the world. It marks a turning point in the discourse from curiosity to offense. The next verses will sharpen the demand, linking eternal life, resurrection, abiding, and true sustenance directly to partaking of Jesus’s flesh and blood—language that pushes hearers to embrace His sacrificial death by faith.
v.51I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.
v.52This passage
v.53Jesus therefore said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 6:41
The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which came down out of heaven.
- John 7:40
Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, This is of a truth the prophet.
- John 4:11
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: whence then hast thou that living water?
- John 9:16
Some therefore of the Pharisees said, This man is not from God, because he keepeth not the sabbath. But others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such signs? And there was a division among them.
- 1 Corinthians 2:14
Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged.
- John 3:4
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
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