¹ And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

² Then came the word of the LORD to me, saying,

³ Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

⁴ Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers:

⁵ And say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and lifted up my hand to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up my hand to them, saying, I am the Lord your GOD;

⁶ In the day that I lifted up my hand to them, to bring them forth from the land of Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands:

⁷ Then said I to them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

⁸ But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken to me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

⁹ But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them, in bringing them forth from the land of Egypt.

¹⁰ Wherefore I caused them to go forth from the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness.

¹¹ And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them.

¹² Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

¹³ But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

¹⁴ But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

¹⁵ Yet also I lifted up my hand to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;

¹⁶ Because they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but profaned my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

¹⁷ Nevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ But I said to their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols:

¹⁹ I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them;

²⁰ And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God.

²¹ Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man doeth, he shall even live in them: they profaned my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.

²² Nevertheless I withdrew my hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

²³ I lifted up my hand to them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;

²⁴ Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.

²⁵ Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they should not live;

²⁶ And I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all the first-born, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the LORD.

²⁷ Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

²⁸ For when I had brought them into the land, for which I lifted up my hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill, and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also they made their sweet savor, and poured out there their drink-offerings.

²⁹ Then I said to them, What is the high place to which ye go? and its name is called Bamah to this day.

³⁰ Wherefore say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye lewd deeds after their abominations?

³¹ For when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even to this day: and shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.

³² And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.

³³ As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:

³⁴ And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries in which ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with an out-stretched arm, and with fury poured out.

³⁵ And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.

³⁶ As I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.

³⁷ And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.

³⁸ And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

³⁹ As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken to me: but profane ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.

⁴⁰ For on my holy mountain, on the mountain of the hight of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.

⁴¹ I will accept you with your sweet savor, when I bring you out from the people, and gather you out of the countries in which ye have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

⁴² And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country for which I lifted up my hand to give it to your fathers.

⁴³ And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings in which ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

⁴⁴ And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the LORD GOD.

⁴⁵ Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

⁴⁶ Son of man, set thy face towards the south, and drop thy word towards the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field;

⁴⁷ And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.

⁴⁸ And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it shall not be quenched.

⁴⁹ Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

¹ After these things, Jesus went away to the other side of the sea of Galilee, which is also called the Sea of Tiberias.

² A great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he did on those who were sick.

³ Jesus went up into the mountain, and he sat there with his disciples.

⁴ Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

⁵ Jesus therefore lifting up his eyes, and seeing that a great multitude was coming to him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?"

⁶ This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

⁷ Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that everyone of them may receive a little."

⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,

⁹ "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these among so many?"

¹⁰ Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in that place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

¹¹ Jesus took the loaves; and having given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down; likewise also of the fish as much as they desired.

¹² When they were filled, he said to his disciples, "Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost."

¹³ So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces from the five barley loaves, which were left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ When therefore the people saw the sign which Jesus did, they said, "This is truly the prophet who comes into the world."

¹⁵ Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

¹⁷ and they entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

¹⁸ The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing.

¹⁹ When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.

²⁰ But he said to them, "It is I. Don't be afraid."

²¹ They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

²² On the next day, the multitude that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except the one in which his disciples had embarked, and that Jesus hadn't entered with his disciples into the boat, but his disciples had gone away alone.

²³ However boats from Tiberias came near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

²⁴ When the multitude therefore saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats, and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the sea, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

²⁶ Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled.

²⁷ Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him."

²⁸ They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"

²⁹ Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

³⁰ They said therefore to him, "What then do you do for a sign, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you do?

³¹ Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness. As it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'"

³² Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, it wasn't Moses who gave you the bread out of heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread out of heaven.

³³ For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."

³⁴ They said therefore to him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

³⁵ Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

³⁶ But I told you that you have seen me, and yet you don't believe.

³⁷ All those who the Father gives me will come to me. Him who comes to me I will in no way throw out.

³⁸ For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

³⁹ This is the will of my Father who sent me, that of all he has given to me I should lose nothing, but should raise him up at the last day.

⁴⁰ This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

⁴¹ The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, "I am the bread which came down out of heaven."

⁴² They said, "Isn't this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then does he say, 'I have come down out of heaven?'"

⁴³ Therefore Jesus answered them, "Don't murmur among yourselves.

⁴⁴ No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up in the last day.

⁴⁵ It is written in the prophets, 'They will all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who hears from the Father, and has learned, comes to me.

⁴⁶ Not that anyone has seen the Father, except he who is from God. He has seen the Father.

⁴⁷ Most certainly, I tell you, he who believes in me has eternal life.

⁴⁸ I am the bread of life.

⁴⁹ Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

⁵⁰ This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, that anyone may eat of it and not die.

⁵¹ I 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."

⁵² The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

⁵³ Jesus therefore said to them, "Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don't have life in yourselves.

⁵⁴ He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

⁵⁵ For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

⁵⁶ He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.

⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.

⁵⁸ This is the bread which came down out of heaven--not as our fathers ate the manna, and died. He who eats this bread will live forever."

⁵⁹ He said these things in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

⁶⁰ Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can listen to it?"

⁶¹ But Jesus knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble?

⁶² Then what if you would see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?

⁶³ It is the spirit who gives life. The flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and are life.

⁶⁴ But there are some of you who don't believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who didn't believe, and who it was who would betray him.

⁶⁵ He said, "For this cause have I said to you that no one can come to me, unless it is given to him by my Father."

⁶⁶ At this, many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

⁶⁷ Jesus said therefore to the twelve, "You don't also want to go away, do you?"

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.

⁶⁹ We have come to believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

⁷⁰ Jesus answered them, "Didn't I choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?"

⁷¹ Now he spoke of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for it was he who would betray him, being one of the twelve.