English Standard Version
John 6:53
53So 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.
John 6:53 in other versions
- King James Version (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.
- New International Version (NIV)Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.
- New King James Version (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.
- New Living Translation (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.
Context of John 6:53
51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 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. 54Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
Read all of John 6John 6:53 word by word
Εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· ἐὰν μὴ φάγητε τὴν σάρκα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ πίητε αὐτοῦ τὸ αἷμα, οὐκ ἔχετε ζωὴν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
- Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- Verilyἀμήνamēn · amenG281
- I sayλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- Exceptἐάνean · ifG1437
- ·μήmē · notG3361
- ye eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
- the fleshσάρξsarx · fleshG4561
- of the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- drinkπίνωpinō piō poō · to drinkG4095
- bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
- ye haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- noοὐou · noG3756
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- youἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
Cross-references for John 6:53
- John 6:26Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.
- John 3:3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."
- Matthew 5:18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
- John 13:8Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."
- John 15:4Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
- Matthew 18:3and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
- Luke 13:3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
- John 6:55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
- John 3:36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
- Matthew 26:26Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body."
- 1 John 5:12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
- Revelation 2:7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'
Commentaries on John 6:53
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 53Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man - Unless ye be made partakers of the blessings about to be purchased by my blood, passion, and violent death, ye cannot be saved. As a man must eat bread and flesh, in order to be nourished by them, so a man must receive the grace and Spirit of Christ, in order to his salvation. As food in a rich man's store does not nourish the poor man that needs it, unless it be given him, and he receive it into his stomach, so…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 53-55Verses 53-55 In these verses Jesus repeats what he had in substance said before. Except ye eat the flesh - He did not mean that this should be understood literally, for it was never done, and it is absurd to suppose that it was intended to be so understood. Nothing can possibly be more absurd than to suppose that when he instituted the Supper, and gave the bread and wine to his disciples, they literally ate his flesh and drank his blood. Who can believe…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 52-59Verses 52-59 The flesh and blood of the Son of man, denote the Redeemer in the nature of man; Christ and him crucified, and the redemption wrought out by him, with all the precious benefits of redemption; pardon of sin, acceptance with God, the way to the throne of grace, the promises of the covenant, and eternal life. These are called the flesh and blood of Christ, because they are purchased by the breaking his body, and the shedding of his blood. Also…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 53-58eats My flesh and drinks My blood: Jesus answered the question the people asked (6:52). His words pointed ahead to the Lord’s Supper, which would come later (see Luke 22:19). In Jewish speech, the phrase “flesh and blood” referred to the whole person. In this context, Jesus was calling people to receive him fully by completely believing in him. Ever since the Protestant Reformation, there have been three main interpretations of the words of Jesus about…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 53-5853-58. Except ye eat the flesh ... and drink the blood ... no life, &c.--The harshest word He had yet uttered in their ears. They asked how it was possible to eat His flesh. He answers, with great solemnity, "It is indispensable." Yet even here a thoughtful hearer might find something to temper the harshness. He says they must not only "eat His flesh" but "drink His blood," which could not but suggest the idea of His death--implied in the separation of…Read the comment
Topics related to John 6:53
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries