John 6 · Verse 51

John 6:51

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
John 6:51, King James Version

John 6:51 in other translations

BSBI am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And this bread, which I will give for the life of the world, is My flesh.”
WEBI am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
ASVI am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.
YLT‘I am the living bread that came down out of the heaven; if any one may eat of this bread he shall live--to the age; and the bread also that I will give is my flesh, that I will give for the life of the world.'
DARBYI am the living bread which has come down out of heaven: if any one shall have eaten of this bread he shall live for ever; but the bread withal which I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
BBEI am the living bread which has come from heaven: if any man takes this bread for food he will have life for ever: and more than this, the bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world.
WebsterI am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man shall eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

What does John 6:51 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 6:47-51

47-51. He that believeth, &c.--(See on Joh 3:36; Joh 5:24).

Read the full comment on John 6:47-51 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 51. The bread that I will give is my flesh. That is, his body would be offered as a sacrifice for sin, agreeably to his declaration when he instituted the Supper: "This is my body which is broken for you," 1Cor 11:24.

Life of the world. That sinners might, by his atoning sacrifice, be recovered from spiritual death, and be brought to eternal life. The use of the word world here shows that the sacrifice of Christ was full, free, ample, and designed for all men, as it is said in 1Jn 2:2, "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." In this verse Jesus introduces the subject of his death and atonement. It may be remarked that in the language which he used the transition from bread to his flesh would appear more easy than it does in our language. The same word which in Hebrew means bread, in the Syriac and Arabic means also flesh.

(m) "my flesh" He 10:5,10,20 (n) "the life of the world" Jn 3:16

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 51 Is my flesh, which I will give, etc. - Our Lord explains his meaning more fully, in these words, than he had done before. Having spoken so much of the bread which feeds and nourishes the soul, and preserves from death, the attention of his hearers was fixed upon his words, which to them appeared inexplicable; and they desired to know what their meaning was. He then told them that the bread meant his flesh, (his life), which he was about to give up; to save the life of the world. Here our Lord plainly declares that his death was to be a vicarious sacrifice and atonement for the sin of the world; and that, as no human life could be preserved unless there was bread (proper nourishment) received, so no soul could be saved but by the merit of his death. Reader, remember this: it is one of the weightiest, and one of the truest and most important sayings in the book of God.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 6:47-51

The advantage of the manna was small, it only referred to this life; but the living Bread is so excellent, that the man who feedeth on it shall never die. This bread is Christ's human nature, which he took to present to the Father, as a sacrifice for the sins of the world; to purchase all things pertaining to life and godliness, for sinners of every nation, who repent and believe in him.

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John 6:51 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἘγώEgōI myselfG1473
εἰμιeimiamG1510
ὁhotheG3588
ἄρτοςartosbreadG740
ὁhowhichG3588
ζῶνzōnis livingG2198
ὁho<the>G3588
ἐκekfromG1537
τοῦtou<the>G3588
οὐρανοῦouranouheavenG3772
καταβάς·katabashaving come down;G2597
ἐάνeanifG1437
τιςtisanyoneG5100
φάγῃphagēshall have eatenG5315
ἐκekofG1537
τούτουtoutouthisG3778
τοῦtou<the>G3588
ἄρτου,artoubread,G740
ζήσειzēseihe will liveG2198
εἰςeistoG1519
τὸνtontheG3588
αἰῶνα.aiōnaage.G165
καὶkaiandG2532
ὁhotheG3588
ἄρτοςartosbreadG740
δὲdealsoG1161
ὃνhonthatG3739
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
δώσωdōsōwill giveG1325
ἡhētheG3588
σάρξsarxfleshG4561
μούmouof MeG3165
ἐστινestinisG1510
ἣνhēnwhichG3739
ἐγὼegōI myselfG1473
δώσωdōsōI will giveG1325
ὑπὲρhuperforG5228
τῆςtēstheG3588
τοῦtouof theG3588
κόσμουkosmouworldG2889
ζωῆς.¶zōēslife.G2222

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 6:51

  • Luke 22:19

    And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

  • John 6:33

    For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

  • Titus 2:14

    Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

  • Hebrews 10:5-12

    Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; …

  • John 3:13

    And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

  • Matthew 20:28

    Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:21

    For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

  • Hebrews 10:20

    By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

  • John 3:16

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

  • 1 Peter 2:4

    To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,

  • John 6:52-58

    The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 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. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. …

  • Ephesians 5:2

    And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
living.
3:13; 4:10,11; 7:38; 1Pe 2:4
and the bread.This was one of the things which the Jews expected from the Messiah, as we learn from Midrash Koheleth. "Rabbi Berechiah, in the name of Rabbi Issac said, As was the first Redeemer, so also shall be the latter. The first Redeemer made manna descend from heaven, as it is said in Ex 16:4, 'And I will rain bread from heaven for you.' So also the latter Redeemer shall make manna descend, as it is said, Ps 72:16, 'There shall be a handful of corn in the earth.' etc."
my flesh.
52-57; Mt 20:28; Lu 22:19; Eph 5:2,25; Tit 2:14; Heb 10:5-12,20
the life.
33; 1:29; 3:16; 2Co 5:19,21; 1Jo 2:2; 4:14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 6:50

    This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

  • John 6:51

    I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

  • John 6:52

    The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Read all of John 6

John 6:51 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Yo soy el pan vivo que he descendido del cielo: si alguno comiere de este pan, vivirá para siempre; y el pan que yo daré es mi carne, la cual yo daré por la vida del mundo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Moi, je suis le pain vivant qui est descendu du ciel: si quelqu’un mange de ce pain, il vivra éternellement; or le pain aussi que moi je donnerai, c’est ma chair, laquelle moi je donnerai pour la vie du monde.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Ich bin das lebendige Brot, das aus dem Himmel herniedergekommen ist; wenn jemand von diesem Brote ißt, so wird er leben in Ewigkeit. Das Brot aber, daß ich geben werde, ist mein Fleisch, welches ich geben werde für das Leben der Welt.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ego sum panis vivus, qui de cælo descendi.