John 6:56 kjv
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
John 6:56 nkjv
He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
John 6:56 niv
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.
John 6:56 esv
Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.
John 6:56 nlt
Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
John 6 56 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jn 15:4 | Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. | Mutual abiding as source of life and fruit. |
| Jn 14:20 | On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. | Tri-directional indwelling. |
| 1 Jn 3:24 | Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. | Abiding linked to obedience. |
| Rom 8:10 | If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness. | Christ's indwelling gives life to spirit. |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. | Christ's life animating the believer. |
| Col 1:27 | ...which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. | Christ within as the assurance of glory. |
| Eph 3:17 | ...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith... | Christ's indwelling through faith. |
| 1 Jn 4:15 | Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. | Confession leads to mutual abiding. |
| 2 Cor 13:5 | Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you...? | Self-examination about Christ's indwelling. |
| Jn 6:54 | Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. | Preceding verse, link to eternal life. |
| Jn 6:63 | It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. | Clarifies spiritual nature of eating/drinking. |
| 1 Cor 10:16 | The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? | Eucharistic connection, participation. |
| 1 Cor 11:23-26 | Institution of Lord's Supper, tying bread/wine to Christ's body/blood for remembrance. | Lord's Supper theological basis. |
| Lev 17:11 | For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls. | OT foreshadowing of atoning blood. |
| Heb 9:22 | Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. | Necessity of blood for atonement. |
| Ex 12:7-8 | The Passover lamb's blood on doorposts, eating its roasted flesh. | Passover typology of Christ's sacrifice. |
| Jn 6:35 | I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. | Jesus as the initial Bread of Life. |
| Jn 5:24 | Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. | Connection between belief, hearing, and eternal life. |
| Rom 6:23 | For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Eternal life as a gift through Christ. |
| Jer 31:33 | But this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. | Prophecy of internal, new covenant. |
| Rev 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. | Mutual fellowship, intimacy. |
| Matt 26:26-28 | "Take, eat; this is my body... Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant..." | Synoptic account of Eucharist. |
| 1 Cor 6:17 | But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. | Union in spirit with Christ. |
| Jn 17:21 | that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us. | Union with Christ, echoing the Trinity. |
| Ps 23:5 | You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies... | Foreshadows spiritual sustenance and fellowship with God. |
John 6 verses
John 6 56 Meaning
John 6:56 declares a profound truth about the intimate spiritual union between believers and Jesus Christ. It states that anyone who spiritually partakes of Christ's sacrificial humanity—represented by His flesh and blood—enters into a continuous, mutual dwelling relationship with Him. In this union, the believer abides in Christ, and Christ actively abides within the believer, signifying a life of deep fellowship, shared existence, and reciprocal presence.
John 6 56 Context
John chapter 6 marks a pivotal point in Jesus' ministry, unfolding the "Bread of Life" discourse, initiated by the miraculous feeding of the five thousand. After providing physical bread, Jesus transitions to revealing Himself as the true, spiritual bread from heaven, superior to manna, that grants eternal life. The dialogue, delivered in the synagogue at Capernaum (Jn 6:59), grows increasingly challenging for His Jewish audience as Jesus emphasizes that one must "eat my flesh and drink my blood" to have life and abide in Him. This command profoundly offended His listeners, who struggled with a literal interpretation, especially in light of strict Jewish dietary laws prohibiting the consumption of blood. John 6:56 encapsulates the spiritual depth of Jesus' teaching, moving beyond a physical act to a spiritual appropriation of His saving work, distinguishing genuine believers who grasp His divine-human identity and sacrificial mission from those who only seek material blessings. It indirectly challenges reliance on external rituals by pointing to an inward, spiritual communion essential for eternal life.
John 6 56 Word analysis
- Whoever (Ὁ τρώγων - Ho trōgōn): The Greek phrase means "the one eating" or "he who eats." The present participle ("trōgōn," literally "chewing" or "gnawing") indicates a continuous, habitual, and deeply internal action, not a one-time event. This active, ongoing engagement contrasts with a passive, superficial belief.
- eats (τρώγων - trōgōn): A graphic verb signifying a vigorous, almost masticating act of consumption. This intensity implies a full and complete assimilation of what is being eaten, emphasizing the profound reality of spiritually taking Christ into oneself, rather than just symbolically partaking.
- my flesh (μου τὴν σάρκα - mou tēn sarka): "My flesh" refers to Jesus' incarnate humanity, fully God yet fully man, specifically in the context of His sacrifice. It signifies His physical, vulnerable human body, offered on the cross for salvation. It’s not merely the physical body but the totality of His Person as the Incarnate Son.
- and drinks (καὶ πίνων - kai pinōn): Like "eats," the present participle here also signifies continuous, habitual drinking. It stresses the ongoing, life-sustaining nature of appropriating Christ's work.
- my blood (μου τὸ αἷμα - mou to haima): "My blood" universally symbolizes life given in sacrifice. For the Jewish audience, this was deeply scandalous due to Mosaic Law prohibiting blood consumption, linking blood directly to life and atonement. Here, it refers to Christ's shed blood as the means of atonement and new covenant life.
- abides (μένει - menei): This key Johannine verb means to "remain," "dwell," or "continue." It implies an enduring, intimate, and steady fellowship, indicating that this spiritual union is not temporary but a settled state of belonging and communion. It speaks of a deep, living connection.
- in me (ἐν ἐμοί - en emoi): This prepositional phrase denotes an intimate spiritual union, indicating that the believer's existence and life are centered and sourced in Christ. It suggests a sphere of living, a continuous state of being inextricably linked to Jesus.
- and I (κἀγὼ - kagō): A contraction of "καὶ ἐγώ," meaning "and I" or "even I." This explicitly highlights the reciprocal nature of the relationship, emphasizing Christ's active and personal participation in the indwelling.
- in him (ἐν αὐτῷ - en autō): This completes the mutual indwelling, stressing that Christ Himself truly dwells within the believer. It is a shared life, a continuous presence, and the pinnacle of fellowship, reflecting the believer's new identity found in Christ.
- "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood": This phrase describes the spiritual act of receiving and embracing Jesus Christ in the totality of His atoning work – His incarnation, sacrificial death, and resurrection. It is not merely intellectual assent but a profound, personal, and ongoing appropriation of all that Jesus is and has accomplished for salvation, becoming sustenance for the soul.
- "abides in me, and I in him": This is a statement of mutual and reciprocal indwelling. The believer is enveloped in Christ, drawing life and strength from Him, while Christ Himself takes up residence within the believer. This signifies a profound, enduring, and dynamic fellowship where Christ’s life is experienced within the believer, shaping identity and conduct. This reciprocal union is the spiritual outcome of faith-union.
John 6 56 Bonus section
The concept of mutual indwelling in John 6:56 is fundamental to understanding Christian life beyond mere moral imitation or intellectual belief. It undergirds the New Testament teachings on sanctification, assurance, and ultimate glorification. This verse emphasizes that spiritual life is not self-generated but continuously flows from Christ within. This intimate, shared life implies that as believers are "in Christ," they participate in His righteousness and as "Christ is in them," He provides the power for transformed living. It is the basis for understanding how believers become "one spirit" with the Lord (1 Cor 6:17) and how God truly dwells with humanity through Christ and His Spirit. It is a powerful rebuttal to any notion of superficial faith, demanding a deeply embedded, life-altering commitment.
John 6 56 Commentary
John 6:56 powerfully conveys the spiritual reality of profound union with Christ. It asserts that to genuinely partake in Jesus’ saving work, understood through the vivid imagery of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, leads directly to an unbreakable, intimate fellowship. This "eating" and "drinking" signifies a deep, personal appropriation of His sacrificial life and atoning death, not as a one-time event but as an ongoing spiritual sustenance. The resulting "abiding in me, and I in him" illustrates a mutual, living relationship where Christ fully indwells the believer, and the believer, in turn, draws all life, sustenance, and meaning from Him. It highlights that the life-giving effect of Christ is through spiritual, personal commitment, resulting in an organic and continuous bond, the very essence of Christian existence and the basis for eternal life. This deep indwelling cultivates a constant awareness of Christ's presence, shaping actions and thoughts towards godliness.Example: Participating in the Lord's Supper can be a tangible expression of this spiritual feeding, renewing our commitment to abiding in Him and recalling His presence within us.