So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
Parallel translations
- WEB Jesus therefore said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves.
- KJV Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
- BSB So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.
- NKJV Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
- NASB So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.
- NLT So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.
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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 says that unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood they have no life in them. He insists that life comes only through participation in His sacrificial death by faith.
Overview
Using vivid imagery, Jesus teaches that there is no life apart from receiving His atoning death. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood signify the faith that takes hold of Christ crucified. While these words resonate with the Lord's Supper, the primary meaning is the spiritual reception of Christ by faith, apart from which no one has life.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- 1 Jn 5:12He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
- Matt 26:26–28As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
- John 6:55For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
- John 6:47Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.
- John 15:4Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me.
- John 6:26–27Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.
- John 3:3Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”
- Rev 2:17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.
- John 3:36One who believes in the Son has eternal life, but one who disobeys the Son won’t see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
- Matt 18:3and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
- John 3:5Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom.
- Luke 13:3I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.
- John 13:8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
- Luke 13:5I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”
- Matt 5:18For most certainly, I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not even one smallest letter or one tiny pen stroke shall in any way pass away from the law, until all things are accomplished.
- Rev 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.
- Matt 8:20Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 6:53 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.
How traditions read this
How the bread and the cup relate to the body and blood of Christ.
The bread and wine truly become the body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation); Jesus' words "my flesh is true food" are taken literally.
Key points · The substance changes while the appearances remain; the Mass re-presents Christ's one sacrifice; adoration of the Eucharist is fitting.
Thomas Aquinas; Council of Trent · Catechism of the Catholic Church §§1373–1381; Trent, Session 13
The gifts truly become Christ's body and blood by the Holy Spirit — a real change the Orthodox refuse to over-define, guarding it as a mystery.
Key points · The change occurs at the epiclesis; communion is participation in the divine life; reverence over philosophical explanation.
John of Damascus; the Divine Liturgy · The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom
Christ's true body and blood are received "in, with, and under" the bread and wine (sacramental union) — really present, but without a change of substance.
Key points · "This is my body" taken at face value; presence by Christ's Word, not transubstantiation; received by mouth, benefiting those who believe.
Martin Luther · Augsburg Confession Art. X; Luther's Small Catechism
Christ is truly but spiritually present; by the Spirit believers feed on the crucified Christ by faith. John 6 is chiefly about believing in Christ.
Key points · "The flesh profits nothing" (6:63); a true communion, not a physical eating; sign and reality distinguished yet joined.
John Calvin · Westminster Confession ch. 29; Calvin, Institutes 4.17
The Supper is a memorial: bread and wine symbolize Christ's body and blood as the church remembers his death until he comes. John 6 speaks of believing, not the ordinance.
Key points · "Do this in remembrance of me"; the symbols point back to the once-for-all cross; faith, not the elements, conveys grace.
Ulrich Zwingli · 1689 Baptist Confession ch. 30; 1 Cor 11:24–26
Each view is stated as that tradition would put it, with representative sources. Limitless Word presents them side by side and endorses none — see the methodology.