The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
Parallel translations
- WEB The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
- BSB At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
- NKJV The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
- NASB Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
- NLT Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.
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 Jews argue over how Jesus can give His flesh to eat. Taking His words literally, they stumble at the offense of the cross.
Overview
Misunderstanding Jesus's figurative language, the people are scandalized. Their question shows the offense His claims provoke when received without faith. John uses their objection to deepen Jesus's teaching, as He presses the necessity of receiving His sacrificed life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- John 10:19There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.
- John 9:16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
- John 6:41The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
- 1 Cor 2:14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- John 3:9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
- John 3:4Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
- Acts 17:32And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
- John 4:11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
- John 7:40–43Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
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 6:52 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.