I am the bread of life.
Parallel translations
- WEB I am the bread of life.
- KJV I am that bread of life.
- BSB I am the bread of life.
- ESV I am the bread of life.
- NASB I am the bread of life.
- NLT Yes, I am the bread of life!
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 repeats, 'I am the bread of life.' He restates the central claim of the discourse as the foundation for what follows.
Overview
Returning to His core declaration, Jesus reaffirms that He Himself is the true, life-giving bread. The repetition drives home that life is found in His person. This sets up the contrast He draws next between the manna that left people dying and the bread that gives eternal life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- John 6:51I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
- 1 Cor 11:24–25When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.”
- 1 Cor 10:16–17The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?
- John 6:41The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, “I am the bread which came down out of heaven.”
- John 6:33–35For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 6:48 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.