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When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
John 6:25 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
  • BSB When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they asked Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
  • ESV When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?”
  • NKJV And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
  • NASB And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
  • NLT They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

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

Finding Jesus, the crowd asks when He arrived. Their question about timing misses the deeper miracle and the true significance of His presence.

Overview

The people are curious about how Jesus crossed the sea, unaware of the water-walking sign. Their focus on the surface question shows they are not yet perceiving spiritual realities. Jesus will not answer their question directly but will instead expose their motives and point them to eternal food.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 2

  • Matt 23:7the salutations in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi, Rabbi’ by men.
  • John 1:38–39Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, being interpreted, Teacher), “where are you staying?”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 6:25YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 6:25 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.