John 6:31

John 6:31 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
• New International Version (NIV)Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

Context of John 6:31

29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30So they said to Him, “What then are You doing as a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work are You performing? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”

John 6:31 word by word

οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν τὸ μάννα ἔφαγον ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ καθώς ἐστιν γεγραμμένον· ἄρτον ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς φαγεῖν.¶Read the interlinear

• Our fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• ateἐσθίωesthiō · to eatG2068
• the mannaμάνναmanna · mannaG3131
• in the wildernessἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• as it is writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• He gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• them breadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
• out of heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for John 6:31

• John 6:49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
• Exodus 16:4Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I may test them, whether or not they will walk in My instruction.
• Numbers 11:6but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna!”
• Deuteronomy 8:3And He humbled you and let you go hungry, and fed you with the manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, in order to make you understand that man shall not live on bread alone, but man shall live on everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord.
• Joshua 5:12And the manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land, so that the sons of Israel no longer had manna, but they ate some of the yield of the land of Canaan during that year.
• Nehemiah 9:20Instead, You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst.
• Psalms 105:40They asked, and He brought quail, And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
• Nehemiah 9:15You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You brought out water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You told them to enter in order to take possession of The land which You swore to give them.
• Psalms 78:24He rained down manna upon them to eat, And gave them food from heaven.
• 1 Corinthians 10:3and they all ate the same spiritual food,
• Revelation 2:17The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Commentaries on John 6:31

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Our fathers did eat manna in the desert - Their argument seems to run thus: Thou hast, we grant, fed five thousand men with five loaves and two small fishes; but what is this in comparison of what Moses did in the desert, who for forty years fed more than a million of persons with bread from heaven: do something like this, and then we will believe in thee, as we have believed in Moses.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Our fathers - The Jews who were led by Moses through the wilderness. Did eat manna - This was the name given by the Jews to the food which was furnished to them by God in their journey. It means literally, “What is this?” and was the question which they asked when they first saw it, Exodus 16:14-15. It was small like frost, and of the size of coriander-seed, and had a sweetish taste like honey. It fell in great quantities, and was regarded by the Jews as…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 28-35Verses 28-35 Constant exercise of faith in Christ, is the most important and difficult part of the obedience required from us, as sinners seeking salvation. When by his grace we are enabled to live a life of faith in the Son of God, holy tempers follow, and acceptable services may be done. God, even his Father, who gave their fathers that food from heaven to support their natural lives, now gave them the true Bread for the salvation of their souls. Coming…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-59This dialogue took place in the synagogue at Capernaum shortly before Passover (6:4, 59). During Passover, Jews would read the story of the exodus from Egypt (see Exodus 1–15).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-3128-31. What shall we do ... the works of God--such works as God will approve. Different answers may be given to such a question, according to the spirit which prompts the inquiry. (See Ho 6:6-8; Lu 3:12-14). Here our Lord, knowing whom He had to deal with, shapes His reply accordingly.Read the comment

Topics related to John 6:31

• Blessing
• Jesus, the Christ
• Manna
• Quotations and Allusions
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Accursed
• Capernaum
• Manna
• Meat
• Murmur
• Andrew
• Desert
• Jesus Christ
• Johannine Theology
• John, Gospel of

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