John 6:26 kjv
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
John 6:26 nkjv
Jesus answered them and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
John 6:26 niv
Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.
John 6:26 esv
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
John 6:26 nlt
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs.
John 6 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 4:14 | "but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again." | Jesus as source of living water |
| John 6:35 | "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." | Jesus is the Bread of Life |
| John 6:48 | "I am the bread of life." | Reiteration of identity |
| John 6:51 | "I am the living bread that came down from heaven." | Jesus as heavenly bread |
| John 8:12 | "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." | Jesus as light and life |
| John 11:25 | "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live" | Jesus as resurrection and life |
| Deuteronomy 8:3 | "man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." | Spiritual nourishment |
| Proverbs 9:5 | "Come, eat of my bread and drink of my wine." | Wisdom providing nourishment |
| Isaiah 55:2 | "Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your labor for what does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in fatness." | God's provision vs. worldly |
| Matthew 4:4 | "But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’" | Jesus quotes Deut 8:3 |
| Luke 24:30-31 | "When he was at table with them, he took the bread, and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they knew him." | Jesus revealing Himself through breaking bread |
| Acts 2:28 | "you will make known to me the paths of life." | Life through Christ |
| Romans 6:23 | "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." | Life in Christ |
| Galatians 3:28 | "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." | Unity in Christ |
| Philippians 2:16 | "holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain." | Word of life leads to salvation |
| 1 Peter 2:24 | "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed." | Healing and life through sacrifice |
| 1 John 1:1-2 | "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— yes, the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and manifested to us—" | Witness to eternal life |
| Revelation 3:20 | "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." | Christ offering fellowship/life |
| Revelation 21:6 | "And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without cost!" | Christ as source of life again |
| Matthew 13:45-46 | "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it." | Value of seeking Christ |
John 6 verses
John 6 26 Meaning
Jesus identifies Himself as the source of true, spiritual life, distinct from the bread they ate that morning. He contrasts His lasting sustenance with the temporary nature of earthly food, implying that those who follow Him will receive eternal life.
John 6 26 Context
Jesus had just miraculously fed over five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. The crowd, having experienced this literal bread, now seeks Him out again, motivated by their satisfied hunger and the anticipation of more physical sustenance. This pursuit reveals a misunderstanding of Jesus' true purpose. Jesus seizes this moment to pivot the conversation from temporary physical bread to the eternal spiritual nourishment He offers. He points out that the bread they ate did not truly satisfy their ultimate hunger and that seeking Him based solely on this physical provision is misguided. His message is aimed at shifting their focus from the material to the spiritual, from temporary gratification to everlasting life.
John 6 26 Word Analysis
- (ou|ou): "unless" - This is a particle of negative condition, often translated as "unless" or "except."
- ze{teite|zēteite}: "you seek" - Present tense verb, indicative mood, from zēteō. It implies a continuous or repeated action of searching or seeking.
- moinon|monon: "only" or "merely" - An adverb modifying "loaves." It highlights the focus of their seeking on the bread.
- o|ho: "the" - Definite article, masculine singular nominative, preceding ar(tos|tos).
- ar|tar
- tos|tos: "bread" - Nominative masculine singular noun, from artos. It refers to the bread Jesus provided.
- en|en: "in" or "by" - Preposition indicating the means or manner.
- tw/|tw: "the" - Definite article, dative neuter singular, referring to h(mer@/|ēmera).
- h_|hē
- mer@|mera: "day" - Dative neuter singular noun, from hēmera. Refers to the specific day of the feeding.
- fj||_eikoti|_eikoti: "perished" or "rotted" - Aorist passive participle, from pimplēmi (to be full, often used of food becoming rotten). It emphasizes the perishable nature of the bread.
- f_|e|h: "but" - A conjunctive particle, contrasting with the previous clause.
- en|en: "but" or "rather" - Another conjunctive particle introducing a contrast.
- meino|meino
- usan|san: "abiding" or "remaining" - Present active participle, from meno. This is key; it indicates persistence or enduring quality.
Words Group by Words Group Analysis:
- "Unless you seek only the bread which perished on that day": This phrase strongly conveys that their motivation for seeking Him is purely superficial, focused on the physical food that has already decomposed. It highlights the futility and inadequacy of such a pursuit.
- "but rather the bread which abides unto eternal life": This forms the crucial counterpoint. "Abides" (meinon) signifies permanence and enduring quality. This points to a different kind of bread, one that leads to "eternal life" (zōēn aiṓnion), directly linking Jesus’ teaching to everlasting existence and not just temporary satisfaction.
John 6 26 Bonus Section
The crowd's focus on the "bread" echoes a deeper spiritual need that they are not consciously aware of. This "bread" is a metaphor Jesus consistently uses for Himself, as seen in John 6:35, 48, and 51. Their inability to grasp this deeper meaning demonstrates their natural man's perception, which is focused on the tangible and immediate, rather than the spiritual and eternal. This interaction sets the stage for the deeper discourse on His identity as the "living bread" and the necessity of "eating His flesh" and "drinking His blood" (though often misunderstood, this refers to spiritual nourishment and faith in His atoning sacrifice, not literal cannibalism).
John 6 26 Commentary
Jesus gently corrects the crowd's misunderstanding. They sought Him for a physical meal, not for eternal life. He clarifies that His "bread" is not physical but spiritual, and it is the means to lasting life, unlike the bread they ate which was subject to decay. This bread, offered by Christ, is eternally sustaining and fulfills a deeper hunger of the soul. His words emphasize the perishable nature of worldly desires and the enduring value of spiritual nourishment found in Him.