New King James Version
John 6:27
27Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
John 6:27 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
- New International Version (NIV)Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal."
- New Living Translation (NLT)But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”
Context of John 6:27
25And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?” 26Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” 28Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
Read all of John 6John 6:27 word by word
ἐργάζεσθε μὴ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν ἀπολλυμένην ἀλλὰ τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον ἣν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑμῖν δώσει· τοῦτον γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐσφράγισεν ὁ θεός.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Labourἐργάζομαιergazomai · to workG2038
- notμήmē · notG3361
- for the meatὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- for the meatβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
- which perishethἀπολλύωapollumi · to destroyG622
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- which endurethμένωmenō · to stayG3306
- untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
- everlastingαἰώνιοςaiōnios · eternalG166
- lifeζωήzōē · lifeG2222
- whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- the Sonυἱόςuihos · sonG5207
- of manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- shall giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- forγάρgar · forG1063
- himοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- hathσφραγίζωsphragizō · to sealG4972
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- the Fatherπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
Cross-references for John 6:27
- John 6:28Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
- Galatians 5:6For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
- Philippians 2:13for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
- Colossians 1:29To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:3remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,
- John 4:13Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
- Ecclesiastes 5:11When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?
- Ecclesiastes 6:7All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied.
- Isaiah 55:2Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.
- Habakkuk 2:13Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts That the peoples labor to feed the fire, And nations weary themselves in vain?
- Matthew 6:19“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
- Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”
- 1 Corinthians 6:13Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
- 1 Corinthians 7:29But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
- 1 Corinthians 9:24Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
- 2 Corinthians 4:18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Commentaries on John 6:27
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27Labor not for the meat - That is, for that only, but also for the bread, etc. Our Lord wills every man to be active and diligent in that employment in which providence has placed him; but it is his will also that that employment, and all the concerns of life, should be subservient to the interest of his soul. But for that meat, etc. - He who labors not, in the work of his salvation, is never likely to enter into the kingdom of God. Though our labor cannot…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27Labour not - This does not mean that we are to make no effort for the supply of our wants (compare 1 Timothy 5:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:10), but that we are not to manifest anxiety, we are not to make this the main or supreme object of our desire. See the notes at Matthew 6:25. The meat that perisheth - The food for the supply of your natural needs. It perishes. The strength you derive from it is soon exhausted, and your wasted powers need to be…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-27Verses 22-27 Instead of answering the inquiry how he came there, Jesus blamed their asking. The utmost earnestness should be employed in seeking salvation, in the use of appointed means; yet it is to be sought only as the gift of the Son of man. Him the Father has sealed, proved to be God. He declared the Son of man to be the Son of God with power.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27The greatest gift Jesus gives is not physical bread, but eternal life. The Father gave Jesus the authority to do this. Physical food spoils. But Jesus, who is the bread of life, offers a gift that lasts forever (6:35).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2727. which the Son of man--taking that title of Himself which denoted His incarnate life. shall give unto you--in the sense of Joh 6:51. him hath God the Father sealed--marked out and authenticated for that transcendent office, to impart to the world the bread of an everlasting life, and this in the character of "the Son of man."Read the comment
Topics related to John 6:27
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries