The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
Parallel translations
- WEB The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.”
- BSB At this, the Jews began to grumble about Jesus because He had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
- NKJV The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.”
- NASB So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”
- NLT Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because he had said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
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 Jewish leaders grumble at Jesus's claim to be the bread that came down from heaven. Their murmuring echoes Israel's old complaints and reveals their unbelief.
Overview
The complaint recalls Israel grumbling against God in the wilderness (Ex. 16). They stumble over Jesus's claim of heavenly origin, unable to reconcile it with His apparent ordinariness. John shows that the offense lies not in lack of evidence but in hardened hearts unwilling to receive the Son.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- John 6:51–52I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
- John 6:33For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
- John 6:48I am that bread of life.
- John 6:66From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
- John 6:60Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
- John 7:12And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the people.
- Jude 1:16These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.
- Luke 19:7And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
- Luke 5:30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?
- John 6:43Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
- John 6:58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
- Luke 15:2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
- 1 Cor 10:10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
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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 6:41 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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