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 2:23-25 | Many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did; but Jesus, for His part, was not entrusting Himself to them... He Himself knew what was in man. | Jesus knows true motives despite outward belief. |
| John 6:27 | Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you... | Direct follow-up, urging a shift to spiritual food. |
| John 6:63 | It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. | Spirit over flesh; words of life. |
| Deut 8:3 | ...that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. | Life is spiritual, not solely physical. |
| Mt 4:4 | Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. | Jesus quotes Deut 8:3 against temptation. |
| Mk 8:17-18 | Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have hardened hearts? | Disciples' slowness to grasp spiritual truth. |
| Lk 12:22-23 | Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor for your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. | Worry for physical needs vs. seeking God's kingdom. |
| Col 3:1-2 | Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is... Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. | Focus on heavenly realities, not earthly desires. |
| Heb 11:6 | Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. | True seeking involves faith, not just benefits. |
| Phil 3:19 | Their end is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. | Warning against materialistic priorities. |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. | Worldly desires contrast with God's will. |
| Jas 4:3 | You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. | Asking God with selfish motives. |
| Prov 16:2 | All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives. | God sees beyond outward actions to motives. |
| 1 Sam 16:7 | ...for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. | God's insight into the heart. |
| Is 29:13 | This people draw near with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but they remove their hearts far from Me... | Lip service without genuine heart devotion. |
| John 4:34 | My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. | Jesus' spiritual food is doing the Father's will. |
| John 20:30-31 | Many other signs Jesus also performed... these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God... | Purpose of signs: belief in Christ's identity. |
| Lk 11:29 | This generation is a wicked generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. | Seeking signs without genuine faith is rebuked. |
| Mt 6:33 | But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. | Right priorities in seeking God. |
| Acts 8:18-20 | Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money... Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you... for your heart is not right before God." | Seeking spiritual power for personal gain. |
John 6 verses
John 6 26 Meaning
Jesus plainly told the crowd that their eagerness to follow Him was not rooted in understanding the spiritual significance of His miracles (signs), but rather in their desire for more physical sustenance after having eaten the loaves He provided. He revealed their primary motivation was worldly gratification, not spiritual seeking.
John 6 26 Context
This verse immediately follows the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and Jesus' walking on water, both profound demonstrations of His divine power. The crowd, after being fed, initially attempted to make Jesus their king by force (John 6:15), indicating their desire for an earthly leader who could provide their material needs. When Jesus departed, they eagerly crossed the Sea of Galilee to find Him, suggesting a deep pursuit. However, in John 6:26, Jesus pierces through their outward show of devotion, directly confronting their shallow motivations. He recognized that their pursuit was driven by the perishable benefit of food, rather than a spiritual apprehension of His identity as the Bread of Life. This revelation serves as a prelude to the "Bread of Life" discourse, where Jesus explicitly distinguishes between physical and spiritual nourishment, challenging the crowd to seek eternal life through Him.
Historically and culturally, the Jewish people eagerly anticipated the Messiah, often expecting a political deliverer who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel's golden age, akin to a "new Moses" who would again provide manna and lead them to prosperity. The feeding miracle fueled these messianic expectations, but their focus was primarily on material provision and an earthly kingdom. Jesus’ words directly challenged these prevailing materialistic and political interpretations of His Messiahship, redirecting their focus towards His spiritual purpose.
John 6 26 Word analysis
- Jesus answered them and said: Indicates a direct, responsive declaration to their unstated thoughts or intentions.
- Truly, truly (Greek: Amēn amēn): This double "Amen" (also translated "Verily, verily" or "I tell you the truth") is characteristic of John's Gospel, emphasizing the solemn truth, certainty, and profound importance of Jesus' statement. It signals a weighty pronouncement.
- I say to you: Further stresses the authority and directness of Jesus' message.
- you seek Me (Greek: zēteite me): Implies an active, purposeful search or pursuit. The verb is in the present tense, indicating an ongoing condition.
- not because you saw signs (Greek: sēmeia): Sēmeia in John's Gospel are not mere miracles or wonders, but divinely empowered actions with symbolic meaning, intended to point to Jesus' divine identity, nature, and mission as the Son of God. The crowd witnessed them, but failed to grasp their true spiritual meaning.
- but because you ate of the loaves: Refers specifically to the recent miraculous feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1-14).
- and were filled (Greek: echortasthēte): This verb means "to be satisfied" or "to be well-fed," often used of animals being pastured. It conveys a sense of having their stomachs fully satisfied, underscoring the physical and basic nature of their contentment and motive. It highlights their primary concern for bodily needs.
Words-group analysis:
- "Truly, truly, I say to you": This solemn opening elevates the gravity of what Jesus is about to reveal, indicating a profound and perhaps uncomfortable truth He is about to uncover. It serves to grab attention and underscores His authority to know and declare hidden motives.
- "you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled": This crucial contrast exposes the core issue: the crowd valued the immediate, tangible, and perishable benefit (food) over the profound, spiritual revelation (Jesus' identity through His signs). It highlights a misinterpretation of Jesus' person and work, reducing Him to a mere provider of temporal needs. The structure directly counterpoints the spiritual purpose of the sēmeia with the materialistic desire for a full stomach.
John 6 26 Bonus section
This verse encapsulates a recurring theme throughout the Gospels: people often follow Jesus for what they can get from Him physically or materially, rather than for who He truly is or the spiritual transformation He offers. The crowd desired an earthly king who would alleviate their physical hunger and political oppression, much like their ancestors experienced with manna in the wilderness. Jesus, however, seeks disciples who follow Him because they recognize His divine identity and embrace His message of eternal life. The subtle polemic here is against the contemporary Jewish messianic expectations that were often fixated on earthly, temporal benefits rather than spiritual redemption. Jesus is deliberately distinguishing His spiritual kingdom and mission from the common material and political aspirations for the Messiah. This immediate revelation of their hidden desires by Jesus demonstrates His omniscience and His unwillingness to build a following on shallow grounds.
John 6 26 Commentary
John 6:26 serves as a pivotal verse where Jesus penetrates the superficial enthusiasm of the crowd to expose their impure motives. He directly confronts their worldly perspective, revealing that their pursuit of Him was fundamentally self-serving and materialistic. The miraculous feeding was intended to be a "sign" (sēmeion) pointing to His divine nature and His offer of spiritual life, but the crowd focused only on the temporary physical gratification it provided. Jesus contrasts "seeing signs" (understanding the spiritual implication) with "eating loaves and being filled" (seeking physical satisfaction), a powerful indictment of their spiritual blindness. This verse acts as a sharp rebuke and a call to a deeper, more spiritual engagement with Him, preparing them for the profound "Bread of Life" discourse where He challenges them to seek enduring food—Himself. It highlights the eternal truth that true devotion stems from faith in His identity, not from what tangible benefits He can provide.