Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
Parallel translations
- KJV Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
- BSB Jesus explained, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.
- ESV Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
- NKJV Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
- NASB Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.
- NLT Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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 declares that doing and finishing the Father's will is His true food. His whole life is devoted obedience to God's saving purpose.
Overview
Jesus defines His sustenance as accomplishing the work the Father sent Him to do. This single-minded obedience characterizes His entire ministry and points ahead to the cross, where He will say 'It is finished' (John 19:30). His example calls believers to find life in submission to God's will.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
- John 5:30I can of myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteous; because I don’t seek my own will, but the will of my Father who sent me.
- 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.
- John 17:4I glorified you on the earth. I have accomplished the work which you have given me to do.
- Matt 26:39He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.”
- John 4:32But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you don’t know about.”
- John 19:30When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished.” He bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.
- John 5:36But the testimony which I have is greater than that of John, for the works which the Father gave me to accomplish, the very works that I do, testify about me, that the Father has sent me.
- Luke 19:10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
- Ps 40:8I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart.”
- Luke 15:10Even so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner repenting.”
- Heb 12:2looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Isa 61:1–3The Lord Yahweh’s Spirit is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound;
- John 6:33For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”
- 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.’”
- Luke 15:4–6“Which of you men, if you had one hundred sheep, and lost one of them, wouldn’t leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one that was lost, until he found it?
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 4:34 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
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