God’s Word Translation
John 6:55
55My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
John 6:55 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
- New International Version (NIV)For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
Context of John 6:55
53Jesus told them, “I can guarantee this truth: If you don’t eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have the source of life in you. 54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will bring them back to life on the last day. My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood live in me, and I live in them. 57The Father who has life sent me, and I live because of the Father. So those who feed on me will live because of me.
Read all of John 6John 6:55 word by word
ἡ γὰρ σάρξ μου ἀληθής ἐστιν βρῶσις, καὶ τὸ αἷμά μου ἀληθής ἐστιν πόσις.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for John 6:55
- John 6:32Jesus said to them, “I can guarantee this truth: Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
- John 1:9The real light, which shines on everyone, was coming into the world.
- John 8:31So Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you live by what I say, you are truly my disciples.
- John 15:1⌞Then Jesus said,⌟ “I am the true vine, and my Father takes care of the vineyard.
- Psalms 4:7You put more joy in my heart than when their grain and new wine increase.
- Hebrews 8:2He serves as priest of the holy place and of the true tent set up by the Lord and not by any human.
- 1 John 5:20We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we know the real God. We are in the one who is real, his Son Jesus Christ. This Jesus Christ is the real God and eternal life.
Commentaries on John 6:55
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 55My flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed - Or, rather, My flesh is the true meat, etc. In both clauses of this verse, instead of , the adverb, I read , the adjective, agreeing with . This reading is supported by BCKLT, and twenty-one others; both the Arabic, Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, two copies of the Itala, Clement, Origen, Cyril, Chrysostom, and Damascenus. Our Lord terms his flesh, the true meat, and his blood the true drink, because…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 6:55
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries