John 6 19

John 6:19 kjv

So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.

John 6:19 nkjv

So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.

John 6:19 niv

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened.

John 6:19 esv

When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened.

John 6:19 nlt

They had rowed three or four miles when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified,

John 6 verses

John 6 19 Meaning

John 6:19 describes the midpoint of a miraculous event: the disciples, after rowing for a considerable distance on a stormy sea, perceive Jesus walking on the water and approaching their boat, leading to a response of fear. This verse underscores the disciples' physical exhaustion and the dire circumstances they faced, setting the stage for Jesus' divine intervention and demonstrating His supreme authority over creation, an authority previously attributed only to God in the Old Testament. The immediate reaction of fear highlights the awe and initial misunderstanding that accompanies encounters with the divine.

John 6 19 Context

This verse is part of John chapter 6, which profoundly highlights Jesus' divine authority and His identity as the Bread of Life. The chapter begins with Jesus miraculously feeding over five thousand people with a few loaves and fish (Jn 6:1-15). After this incredible sign, Jesus, knowing the crowd's intention to make Him king by force, dismisses the crowds and sends His disciples across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, while He retreats alone to a mountain to pray (Jn 6:15-17). The setting for verse 19 is therefore one of the disciples being alone in a boat, far from shore, struggling against a strong wind and rough sea (Jn 6:18), following an intensely demanding day. This physically challenging situation serves as the backdrop for Jesus' subsequent miraculous appearance, underscoring His sovereignty over natural elements and His provision for His disciples even when they are in distress and beyond their own capabilities. Historically and culturally, the Sea of Galilee was prone to sudden, violent storms due to its geographical location. The "furlongs" indicate the considerable effort and time elapsed in their struggle.

John 6 19 Word analysis

• So when they had rowed (ἐληλακότες - elēlakótes): This Greek perfect participle implies a completed and sustained effort. They had been rowing for a considerable time, perhaps exhausted, before this event. It highlights their human effort and struggle, contrasting with Jesus' effortless walking.

• about twenty-five or thirty furlongs: A furlong (στάδιον - stadion) was about 600 feet or 185 meters. This distance translates to roughly 3-4 miles or 5-6 kilometers. It indicates they were far from shore and had put in significant, futile effort against the strong headwinds (Jn 6:18), emphasizing the extent of their predicament and isolation.

• they saw (θεωροῦσιν - theōrousin): A present tense, vivid verb implying an active, sustained observation or a perceiving of something notable, not just a casual glance. It conveys the astonishment and the gradual realization of what they were witnessing.

• Jesus walking (περιπατοῦντα - peripatounta) on the sea: The core miracle. Walking on water demonstrates divine mastery over the natural world, a power reserved for God in the Old Testament (Job 9:8, Ps 77:19). It implicitly points to Jesus' deity, asserting His divine nature and authority.

• and drawing near (ἐγγὺς γινόμενον - engys ginomenon) the boat: Signifies Jesus actively approaching them, entering their sphere of danger and struggle. He is not just appearing, but actively coming to their aid and demonstrating His personal concern.

• and they were afraid (ἐφοβοῦντο - ephobounto): This describes a profound fear, a mix of terror, awe, and perhaps even superstitious dread (Matt 14:26 says they thought He was a ghost). It is a natural human reaction to the encounter with the supernatural and the uncanny, particularly given their weary state and the unusual circumstances. It reflects their initial lack of understanding of who Jesus truly was.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "rowed about twenty-five or thirty furlongs": This phrase highlights the duration and intensity of the disciples' human struggle. Despite their immense effort against the adverse conditions ("the sea rose because of a great wind," Jn 6:18), they made little progress, emphasizing the limitations of human endeavor without divine intervention. It sets a stage of natural inability, perfect for a supernatural display of power.
  • "saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat": This vividly contrasts human weakness with divine power. The disciples' perception shifts from their arduous task to the awe-inspiring sight of Jesus defying natural laws. His act of "drawing near" emphasizes His compassionate initiative to intervene in their moment of need. It’s an act of deliberate engagement, not mere display.
  • "and they were afraid": This reaction reveals the natural, unprepared human response to the terrifyingly sublime. Their fear wasn't merely from seeing a man on water, but from an encounter with the unknown and the uncanny, pointing to the profound gap between human comprehension and divine reality. It is a sign of His transcendence but also highlights their current spiritual blindness regarding His true identity, echoing similar fear in other Gospel accounts (Lk 5:8, Lk 8:25).

John 6 19 Bonus section

The placement of this miracle immediately after the feeding of the five thousand is significant. The feeding demonstrated Jesus' power to provide for physical needs, but walking on water reveals His sovereignty over creation and natural law. It moves from provisioning within creation to control over creation itself, hinting at His unique status. In parallel accounts (Matt 14:25, Mk 6:48), it's mentioned that Jesus came to them in "the fourth watch of the night," between 3 AM and 6 AM, underscoring the duration of their struggle. The disciples had likely been rowing for many hours since dusk. The instantaneous arrival at their destination upon Jesus entering the boat (Jn 6:21), a lesser-known miracle of this passage, further cements Jesus' mastery over space and time. This combined display of power validates His claims as the Bread of Life (Jn 6:35), assuring His followers that He has ultimate power to sustain and guide them through the storms of life to their ultimate, divinely ordained destination. The episode challenges followers to look beyond the immediate natural reality and acknowledge Jesus as the powerful, ever-present Lord who calms chaos and provides ultimate peace.

John 6 19 Commentary

John 6:19 encapsulates a profound theological truth about Jesus Christ: He is the sovereign Lord over creation, actively engaged in the lives of His disciples. Having toiled for hours against fierce headwinds and covered significant distance only to remain vulnerable on the open sea, the disciples were in a desperate situation that human strength could not overcome. This physical exhaustion and the menacing storm provide a potent backdrop for Jesus' sudden appearance. His walking on water is not merely a feat of power but a tangible display of His divine identity, mirroring descriptions of God in the Old Testament who "treads on the waves of the sea" (Job 9:8). The disciples' initial response of fear is understandable; it is the natural human reaction to the intrusion of the extraordinary into the ordinary, and it highlights their yet-to-be-fully-realized understanding of Jesus' person. This incident reassures believers that Christ knows their struggles, appears in their most difficult moments, and has absolute power over all chaotic forces, bringing them safely to their destination (Jn 6:21). It serves as an object lesson in trusting His presence even when circumstances are overwhelming and His methods seem unfathomable.