They said therefore to him, “What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?
Parallel translations
- KJV They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
- BSB So they asked Him, “What sign then will You perform, so that we may see it and believe You? What will You do?
- ESV So they said to him, “Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?
- NKJV Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?
- NASB So they said to Him, “What then are You doing as a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work are You performing?
- NLT They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do?
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
The crowd demands a sign so they may believe, even though they had just been fed. Their request exposes the unbelief that no sign alone can cure.
Overview
Astonishingly, those who ate the multiplied loaves now ask for proof. Their question hints they want manna-like bread daily, as the next verse shows. John repeatedly demonstrates that signs do not create saving faith; the heart must be drawn by the Father to truly believe.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- John 12:37But though he had done so many signs before them, yet they didn’t believe in him,
- John 6:36But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don’t believe.
- 1 Cor 1:22For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,
- John 10:38But if I do them, though you don’t believe me, believe the works; that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.”
- John 20:25–29The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
- Isa 7:11–14“Ask a sign of Yahweh your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.”
- Mark 15:32Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him.” Those who were crucified with him also insulted him.
- Heb 2:4God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will?
- Matt 12:38–39Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
- Mark 8:11The Pharisees came out and began to question him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, and testing him.
- Matt 16:1–4The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing him, asked him to show them a sign from heaven.
- 1 Kgs 13:3He gave a sign the same day, saying, “This is the sign which Yahweh has spoken: Behold, the altar will be split apart, and the ashes that are on it will be poured out.”
- Acts 4:30while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”
- 1 Kgs 13:5The altar was also split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by Yahweh’s word.
- Luke 11:29–30When the multitudes were gathering together to him, he began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks after a sign. No sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah, the prophet.
- John 2:18The Jews therefore answered him, “What sign do you show us, seeing that you do these things?”
- Exod 4:8“It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
- Isa 5:19Who say, “Let him make speed, let him hasten his work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!”
- John 4:8For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
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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 6:30 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.