John 6 29

John 6:29 kjv

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 6:29 nkjv

Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent."

John 6:29 niv

Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

John 6:29 esv

Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

John 6:29 nlt

Jesus told them, "This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent."

John 6 verses

John 6 29 Meaning

John 6:29 states Jesus' clear and direct answer to the crowd's inquiry about "works of God." He defines the singular "work of God" as believing in the one whom God has sent, who is Himself. This reveals that God's primary desire and requirement for humanity is not adherence to a list of humanly performed actions to earn merit, but rather humble faith and trust in Jesus Christ as His appointed messenger and redeemer. It shifts the entire focus of religious obedience from human striving to divine grace received through faith.

John 6 29 Context

John 6:29 is situated within Jesus' extensive "Bread of Life" discourse, following the miraculous feeding of the five thousand and Jesus walking on water. The crowd, impressed by the physical bread Jesus provided, pursued Him across the Sea of Galilee. Their motive was largely self-serving: they sought more miraculous bread, mirroring Israel's desire for manna in the wilderness. When Jesus admonished them not to labor for perishable food but for enduring food (John 6:27), they countered with the question in John 6:28: "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" This question reflects a prevailing Jewish mindset that emphasized meticulous adherence to the Law and the performance of good deeds (works) as the path to righteousness and God's favor. Jesus' answer directly challenges this perspective, redirecting their focus from human effort to a divine prerequisite: faith in Himself.

John 6 29 Word analysis

• Jesus answered: This highlights Jesus' authority and the definitive nature of His response to the crowd's crucial question.

• "The work" (ἔργον - ergon): This Greek word refers to a deed, action, or accomplishment. The crowd expected a plural "works" (plural erga in v. 28), referring to various commands or rituals. Jesus provides a singular "work," radically reframing their understanding. It is not their many efforts, but God's one requirement.

• "of God" (τοῦ Θεοῦ - tou Theou): Specifies that this "work" is initiated, ordained, and demanded by God Himself. It is God’s prerogative and mandate for humanity, not a human invention or method for earning favor.

• "is this" (τοῦτό - touto): This emphatic pronoun points to what follows as the sole and definitive "work" that God requires. It signals a complete paradigm shift from human actions to divine reception.

• "to believe" (ἵνα πιστεύητε - hina pisteuēte): The Greek verb pisteuō (to believe) in John's Gospel implies more than mere intellectual assent. It signifies complete trust, reliance, commitment, and personal adherence to Jesus. It is an active surrender to His person and claims. The subjunctive mood further indicates purpose: that you believe.

• "in the one" (εἰς ὃν - eis hon): The Greek preposition eis (into, to, in) implies motion towards and deep reliance upon the person of Jesus. It signifies a profound, active faith directed towards Him.

• "He has sent" (ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖνος - apesteilen ekeinos): The verb apostellō (to send) is closely related to "apostle" (one who is sent). It underscores Jesus' divine commission, authority, and identity as God's chosen and designated messenger and representative. "He" (ἐκεῖνος - ekeinos) refers emphatically to the Father doing the sending, emphasizing divine initiative and the Father-Son relationship. It reveals Jesus' unique relationship with God the Father and His singular mission of salvation.

• "The work of God is this:": This phrase directly confronts the crowd's legalistic thinking. They asked about their "works of God" (John 6:28), implying multiple human actions to earn divine favor. Jesus reframes "work of God" to mean God's singular demand and purpose for humanity. This indicates that God's desired "work" from us is a response to His initiative, rather than human initiative to gain merit.

• "to believe in the one He has sent.": This part defines what the singular "work of God" entails. It moves the focus from outward, human-initiated actions to an inward spiritual orientation: complete faith and trust in Jesus Christ. "The one He has sent" explicitly identifies Jesus as having divine origin and commission, granting His person and mission ultimate authority. This clarifies that saving faith is specific: it is not general belief in God, but active trust in God's specific revelation and provision found in His Son. This is presented as the fundamental requirement, superseding all other potential "works" into this single, central act of trust and dependence.

John 6 29 Bonus section

• This statement highlights the unique claim of Christianity: God's salvation is found only through belief in Jesus Christ, effectively refuting syncretism or the idea that all paths lead to God.
• The transition from the crowd asking "What works must we do?" (plural) to Jesus stating "This is the work of God" (singular) is crucial. Jesus profoundly reframes their entire understanding of God's expectations, collapsing all supposed human efforts into the singular requirement of faith in Him.
• This verse provides foundational support for the absolute sufficiency of Christ: no additional "work" is necessary because God's desired "work" from humanity is entirely fulfilled in trusting Christ.
• It serves as a stark warning: while human beings are capable of performing many physical, religious, or moral actions, if those actions are not founded on or culminating in faith in Christ, they do not constitute "the work of God" in His ultimate, salvific sense.

John 6 29 Commentary

John 6:29 delivers one of Jesus' most pivotal theological statements, directly challenging the prevailing religious mindset of His day and providing the core of New Testament salvation. When asked what "works" God requires, Jesus radically simplifies the answer: not a list of ceremonial or moral accomplishments, but a single, saving response of belief. This faith is not a mere intellectual assent to facts about Jesus, but a deep, personal trust in Him as God's commissioned emissary. It emphasizes that salvation is not attained by human effort or merit but is a gracious gift received through a transformative relationship with the Son. The "work of God" is thus twofold: it is what God does in sending His Son and enabling belief, and it is the singular, non-meritorious human response of receiving and relying on that Son. This sets up a crucial distinction between human striving and divine enablement, a theme profoundly explored by later New Testament writers like Paul and the author of Hebrews, affirming grace through faith as the cornerstone of the new covenant. This understanding highlights that to reject belief in the Son is to reject the only work God truly desires from humanity, thereby leading away from eternal life.