But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
Parallel translations
- WEB But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”
- KJV But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
- BSB But He told them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
- NKJV But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
- NASB But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus says He has food the disciples don't know about, pointing beyond literal bread. It signals that obedience to God sustains Him.
Overview
Jesus speaks of hidden 'food,' deliberately raising a question in the disciples' minds, much as He did with the Samaritan woman over 'living water.' This Johannine pattern of misunderstanding leads to deeper truth. His true nourishment, soon explained, is accomplishing the Father's saving work.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Job 23:12I haven’t gone back from the commandment of his lips. I have treasured up the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
- Ps 119:103How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!
- John 4:34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
- Prov 18:20A man’s stomach is filled with the fruit of his mouth. With the harvest of his lips he is satisfied.
- Jer 15:16Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies.
- Ps 63:5My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest food. My mouth shall praise you with joyful lips,
- Ps 25:14The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.
- Prov 14:10The heart knows its own bitterness and joy; he will not share these with a stranger.
- Rev 2:17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.
- Isa 53:11After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself; and he will bear their iniquities.
- Acts 20:35In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 4:32 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.