So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum, looking for Jesus.
Parallel translations
- WEB When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn’t there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
- KJV When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.
- BSB So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor His disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum to look for Him.
- NKJV when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.
- NLT So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.
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
Finding neither Jesus nor His disciples, the crowd boards the boats and goes to Capernaum to seek Him. Their pursuit is earnest but driven by the wrong motive.
Overview
The crowd's diligence in seeking Jesus seems commendable, but the next verses reveal their hearts were set on physical bread, not on Him. John often probes the difference between seeking Jesus for benefits and believing in Him for who He is. Their search becomes the occasion for Jesus to call them to a deeper faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- John 6:17and they entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
- Mark 6:53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.
- Luke 8:40When Jesus returned, the multitude welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him.
- Mark 1:37and they found him, and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.”
- John 7:11The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?”
- John 6:23However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.
- John 6:59He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.
- John 20:15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
- John 18:4–5Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were happening to him, went out, and said to them, “Who are you looking for?”
- Matt 14:34When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.
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 6:24 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.