John 6 2

John 6:2 kjv

And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

John 6:2 nkjv

Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased.

John 6:2 niv

and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick.

John 6:2 esv

And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.

John 6:2 nlt

A huge crowd kept following him wherever he went, because they saw his miraculous signs as he healed the sick.

John 6 verses

John 6 2 Meaning

Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee. This act signifies his continued ministry in broader regions, extending beyond the immediate vicinity of Capernaum, and demonstrates his popularity and the multitudes following him for his teachings and miracles.

John 6 2 Context

John chapter 6 opens immediately following Jesus' feeding of the five thousand, a significant public miracle. The context is Jesus' pervasive ministry throughout Galilee. After performing this large-scale miracle, there's a shift in Jesus' activity: he withdraws, first by going up on a mountain alone, and then by crossing the Sea of Galilee. This movement across the water, as described in John 6:2, sets the scene for the subsequent events of the chapter, including Jesus walking on water and delivering the discourse on the Bread of Life in Capernaum. The multitude that had been fed follows him, indicating their persistent interest and seeking after Jesus. The Sea of Galilee, also referred to as the Sea of Tiberias, was a central location for much of Jesus' Galilean ministry.

John 6 2 Word Analysis

• καὶ (kai): This is the Greek conjunction "and." It connects this verse to the previous action, signifying a continuation of Jesus' movements.
• εἶδεν (eiden): The third-person singular past active indicative form of the verb ὁράω (horaō), meaning "to see." Here, it indicates Jesus' perception.
• πολύν (polun): The accusative masculine singular form of the adjective πολύς (polus), meaning "many" or "much." It modifies ὄχλον (ochlon).
• ὄχλον (ochlon): The accusative masculine singular of ὄχλος (ochlos), meaning "crowd" or "multitude." It denotes the large number of people who followed Jesus.
• οὐράν (ouran): The genitive neuter singular of οὐραῖος (ouraios), often used in compounds but here referring to a part of the body (likely indicating his followers behind him or coming up to him). Self-correction: The word identified here is actually ὄχλον, as stated previously, and not ouran. Reanalyzing the verse "καὶ εἶδεν πολὺν ὄχλον οὐραίον ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτόν," the word 'οὐραῖον' here likely describes the nature or direction of the crowd, perhaps implying 'heavenward' or those coming from behind, or simply emphasizing the size and persistent movement towards him. A more direct transliteration and meaning is needed if the text itself presents this word in this context. Clarification based on standard texts of John 6:2 shows the verse as: "2 Καὶ ἠκολούθει αὐτῷ ὄχλος πολύς, ὅτι ἐθεώρουν τὰ σημεῖα ἃ ἐποίει ἐπὶ τῶν ἀσθενούντων." (Kai ēkolouthei autō ochlos polus, hoti etheōroun ta sēmeia ha epoiei epì tōn asthenountōn.) In this widely accepted reading, the word 'οὐραῖον' is not present. The analysis will proceed based on the standard text: "And a great crowd followed him, because they saw the signs that he did on the sick."

Let's re-analyze with the common textual reading:

• καὶ (kai): "And." Connects the verse to the preceding narrative or thought.
• ἠκολούθει (ēkolouthei): Third-person singular imperfect active indicative of ἀκολουθέω (akoloutheō), meaning "to follow." The imperfect tense emphasizes the ongoing nature of the following.
• αὐτῷ (autō): Dative masculine singular pronoun, meaning "him" (Jesus).
• ὄχλος (ochlos): Nominative masculine singular of ὄχλος (ochlos), meaning "crowd" or "multitude." This is the subject performing the action of following.
• πολύς (polus): Nominative masculine singular adjective, meaning "great" or "many." It modifies ὄχλος, emphasizing the size of the crowd.
• ὅτι (hoti): Causal conjunction, meaning "because." It introduces the reason for the crowd following Jesus.
• ἐθεώρουν (etheōroun): Third-person plural imperfect active indicative of θεωρέω (theōreō), meaning "to behold," "to look at," or "to observe." The imperfect tense suggests their continuous observation of the signs.
• τὰ σημεῖα (ta sēmeia): Accusative neuter plural definite article and noun, meaning "the signs" or "the wonders." These are the miraculous deeds performed by Jesus.
• ἃ (ha): Neuter plural relative pronoun, meaning "which" or "that." It refers back to τὰ σημεῖα.
• ἐποίει (epoiei): Third-person singular imperfect active indicative of ποιέω (poieō), meaning "to do" or "to make." The imperfect tense indicates the continuous or repeated action of Jesus performing signs.
• ἐπὶ (epi): Preposition. When used with the genitive (as with τῶν ἀσθενούντων), it means "over," "upon," or "in relation to."
• τῶν ἀσθενούντων (tōn asthenountōn): Genitive plural masculine present active participle of ἀσθενέω (astheneō), meaning "to be weak," "to be sick," or "to be ill." This phrase means "the sick" or "those who were sick."

Words Group Analysis:

• "A great crowd followed him": This phrase highlights the immense popularity and influence Jesus had gained, largely due to his miraculous acts, as seen in the previous miracle of feeding the five thousand. The continuous imperfect tense (ἠκολούθει) emphasizes the ongoing and persistent nature of their pursuit.
• "because they saw the signs that he did on the sick": This clause directly explains the motivation behind the crowd’s following. They were drawn to Jesus not primarily for his spiritual teachings but for the observable, physical demonstrations of his power over illness. The term "signs" (σημεῖα) is crucial in John's Gospel; these miracles pointed to Jesus’ divine identity and purpose, but the crowd's understanding was often superficial, focused on the physical benefits.

John 6 2 Bonus Section

The narrative here in John chapter 6 showcases a common human tendency—seeking divine intervention for immediate physical needs. While Jesus never turned away the suffering, his ultimate mission was redemptive and spiritual. This verse sets the stage for a deeper teaching on the "bread of life," where Jesus redirects their focus from physical sustenance and healing to spiritual nourishment that lasts eternally. The disciples’ eventual confusion and questioning later in the chapter underscore the difficulty even those close to Jesus had in fully grasping his divine nature and the spiritual dimension of his mission, mirroring the broader crowd’s limitations.

John 6 2 Commentary

John 6:2 explains the motivation behind the massive crowd’s persistent following of Jesus. Their interest was fueled by the numerous miracles, specifically those performed for the sick. This reveals a significant aspect of Jesus' ministry: while he offered profound spiritual truths, many were primarily attracted by his power to heal and provide. The "signs" (σημεῖα) were intended to reveal Christ, but this crowd's focus was on the visible benefits. Jesus, aware of their superficial motives and likely wishing to escape the constant pressure of large crowds seeking only physical benefits, had previously sought seclusion and was now crossing the Sea of Galilee, a move to transition to a different phase or location of his ministry.