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 told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” 30They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33The true bread of God is the one who comes down from 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Ourἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• fathersὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• fathersπατήρpatēr · fatherG3962
• did eatφαγεῖνphagō · to eatG5315
• mannaμάνναmanna · mannaG3131
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the desertἔρημοςerēmos · desertedG2048
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• it isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• writtenγράφωgraphō · to writeG1125
• He gaveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• breadἄρτοςartos · breadG740
• fromἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772

Cross-references for John 6:31

• John 6:49Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died.
• Exodus 16:4Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.
• Numbers 11:6But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!”
• Deuteronomy 8:3Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
• Joshua 5:12No manna appeared on the day they first ate from the crops of the land, and it was never seen again. So from that time on the Israelites ate from the crops of Canaan.
• Nehemiah 9:20You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.
• Psalms 105:40They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven.
• Nehemiah 9:15“You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.
• Psalms 78:24He rained down manna for them to eat; he gave them bread from heaven.
• 1 Corinthians 10:3All of them ate the same spiritual food,
• Revelation 2:17“Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands 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