Limitless Word
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
John 6:56 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.
  • BSB Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.
  • NKJV He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
  • NASB The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.
  • NLT Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.

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 one who eats His flesh and drinks His blood abides in Jesus, and He in them. Receiving Christ by faith brings deep, mutual union with Him.

Overview

Jesus introduces the language of abiding, a key theme later in John (ch. 15). To feed on Christ is to be united to Him in a living, abiding relationship. This communion, secured by His death and received by faith, is the heart of the believer's life and the ground of eternal hope.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 14

  • 1 Jn 3:24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
  • John 15:4–5Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
  • Rev 3:20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
  • John 14:20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
  • John 17:21–23That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
  • Ps 91:9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
  • John 14:23Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
  • 1 Jn 4:15–16Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
  • 2 Cor 6:16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
  • Lam 3:24The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
  • 1 Jn 4:12No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
  • Ps 91:1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
  • Eph 3:17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
  • Ps 90:1Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 6:56YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 6:56 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.