John 6

was following
The phrase “was following” accurately brings out the imperfect tense of the verb ἠκολούθει (ēkolouthei), which communicates continual or ongoing action. The use of this tense provides a vivid narrative as the crowd continues to move along with Jesus wherever He goes because they are enamored with the signs He is able to do.

they were seeing
Many translations have “they saw,” but “they were seeing” better captures the imperfect tense of the Greek verb here (ἐθεώρουν; etheōroun). Since the imperfect tense portrays an action as ongoing in the moment, John is therefore dramatizing the scene for the reader, in that he portrays the crowd as those who were actively observing what Jesus was doing for the sick.

doing
Several translations have the English term “performed” here, which is common when speaking about signs or miracles. However, the Greek term (ποιέω; poieō) is most often translated as “doing.” With this rendering, readers can better see the connection to verse 6, in which Jesus tests Philip while at the same time knowing what He was going to “do” for the hungry crowd.

was sitting
Refer to the discussion on verse 2 above. This verb is also in the Greek imperfect tense Since the imperfect tense portrays an action as ongoing in the moment, John is therefore dramatizing the scene for the readers, who see Jesus actively sitting atop the mountain as the scene begins to unfold.

was going to
The phrase “was going to” translates the word μέλλω (mellō), which commonly indicates that something is anticipated to happen at a future point in time. Jesus knew the future and exactly what He was going to do to demonstrate His divine power and provision.

boy
The word “boy” translates παιδάριον (paidarion) and is better than something like “lad” because the Greek term portrays a small child. While “lad” in English might communicate the idea of a “young man,” “boy” helps to bring out that he was likely not a teenager but a young child. Thus, Andrew’s suggestion here serves to highlight the apparent hopelessness of this situation, as the only food available is the packed lunch for a young boy—not even enough for one grown man.

pieces
“Pieces” is a consistent gloss for the term κλάσμα (klasma; cf. Matt 14:20; Mark 8:8; Luke 9:17). Thus, it is translated in the same way here to help the reader recognize the same word wherever it appears.

pieces
Refer to the discussion on verse 12 above.

done
Refer to the discussion on verse 2 above. Here Jesus “had done” (ἐποίησεν; epoiēsin) a sign, and as a result, in the following verse, the people wanted to “make” (ποιήσωσιν; poiēsōsin) Him king.

were saying
Refer to the discussion on verse 2 above. Here John is dramatizing the scene for the readers, who witness the people actively identifying Jesus as the Prophet who was promised to come (cf. Deut 18:18).

knowing
While several translations render this term as “perceiving,” the word is the typical word for “knowing” (γινώσκω; ginōskō). While this term is distinct from that used in verse 6, the ideas here and there are conceptually parallel. Additionally, this term has been used by John to describe the awareness that Jesus has for the state of other people (cf. 1:48; 2:24–25; 4:1; 5:6, 42).

were going to
Refer to the discussion on verse 6 above. Whereas there Jesus knew what He was going to do, here He knew what the crowd was going to do (μέλλουσιν; mellousin). Thus, He is not only demonstrating Himself to be sovereign, but He is also demonstrating Himself to be purposeful in how He wants His glory (and royalty) revealed in the world.

was stirred up
The translation “was stirred up” represents the present tense verb διεγείρετο (diegeireto). Here, the word is a historical present, which means that though constructed in the present tense as though something were currently happening, it describes something that happened in the past. Thus, it is translated here as a past action with an asterisk indicating that it is a present tense verb. With such usage, John is describing a narrative in the past as currently unfolding, adding drama to this scene.

twenty-five or thirty stadia
Many translations render this in terms of “miles,” but the Greek unit of measurement is in “stadia” (σταδίους εἴκοσι πέντε ἢ τριάκοντα; stadious eikosi pente ē triakonta), with “stadia” referring to the length of an Olympic racetrack (see Abbott-Smith on στάδιον). The calculation of this measurement in terms of miles or kilometers is more properly a matter of exposition than translation, and thus “stadia” has been retained here and elsewhere (cf. Matt 14:24; John 11:18; Rev 14:20; 21:16).

Other small boats came
The phrase, “Other small boats came” is a closer representation of the Greek text than something like “There came other small boats” because “Other” (ἀλλὰ; alla) is the first word in the Greek sentence. The presence of other boats is thus emphasized, demonstrating Jesus’ immense popularity because of His power to work miracles and feed thousands. The crowds were going out of their way to find Him again.

come
The English verb “come” on its own provides a more accurate translation of the verb γίνομαι (ginomai) than something like “get here.” The people are confused as to when he came to Capernaum, since there was no logical explanation for how He arrived there without a boat. The straightforward translation, “come,” communicates this idea appropriately.

set His seal
The Greek verb ἐσφράγισεν (esphragisen) is in the aorist (generally simple past) tense, and is thus simply translated as “set His seal” rather than with the perfective phrasing, “has set…”. Here, the aorist tense is used to point back to a specific point of time in the past when God set His seal on Jesus. This refers to Jesus’ baptism, when the Spirit descended and remained on Him (cf. John 1:32; The concept of sealing in the New Testament is always linked closely with the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30), which was God’s confirmation that Jesus is truly His Son.

should
The Greek verb ποίεω (poieō; “do”) is in the subjunctive mood here, which communicates the idea of potentiality and is usually conveyed in English with words like “may,” “could,” or “should.” Here, it is clear from the context that the people are asking Jesus what they “should” do so that they “may work” (another subjunctive) the works of God. This language of potentiality communicates something of a condition, in that if one thing were true, something else would be as well. Jesus answers with another subjunctive in verse 29, saying that if they would “believe” in Him, that would be the work of God. The people wanted to do something, but Jesus emphasizes that true belief is a work that God Himself must accomplish in a person’s life. Unless that work takes place, the potentiality of the people working the works of God will never become reality.

Moses has not…but My Father
While some translations have something like “It is not Moses who…” here, the words “it is” and “who” are not found in the Greek text. It is much more straightforward to the Greek simply to have, “Moses has not given…” (οὐ Μωϋσῆς δέδωκεν; ou Mōusēs dedōken…) and following, “but My Father gives…” (ἀλλʼ ὁ πατήρ μου δίδωσιν; all’ ho patēr mou didōsin). This translation upholds the contrast between Moses and God the Father, and also accounts for the different verb tenses used: the perfect “has given” for Moses and the present “gives” for the Father. This emphasizes the present time for Jesus’ hearers, as they must no longer look back to what Moses had done, but rather receive Christ Himself now as the true bread of life which the Father is giving (cc. 33–35).

never
The translation “never” brings out the strong emphasis of the Greek double negative οὐ μὴ (ou mē) twice in this verse. Jesus is making two strong and emphatic parallel statements to enforce His total and absolute sufficiency for those who come to Him and believe in Him. The people were seeking physical bread, but Jesus states strongly that He Himself—as the bread of life—is the one they must seek, because their true problem of hunger is spiritual and can only be satisfied by Him.

never
Refer to the discussion on verse 35 above. Jesus’ provision of Himself is not only fully satisfying but forever saving. All who come by faith to Jesus are secured for eternity and can never lose the privilege of His provision.

sees
“See” translates θεωρέω (theōreō), which has to do with “observing something with sustained attention” (see BDAG on θεωρέω). This translation connects to Jesus’ question about seeing the Son ascending in verse 62. Those who see Jesus’ ascension into heaven will know that Jesus always was who He said He was.

Stop grumbling
The verb for “grumbling” here is in the present tense (generally implying continual action), and points back to the imperfect verb “were saying” in the previous verse, communicating that this was something the Jews were already doing. Thus, the translation here is “Stop” rather than “Do not” since Jesus’ injunction is not a summary prohibition, but a command to cease what they are already doing.

TAUGHT BY GOD
The translation “TAUGHT BY GOD” brings out the contextual meaning of the subjective genitive θεοῦ (theou) in the phrase διδακτοὶ θεοῦ (didaktoi theou), which indicates God Himself as the One teaching. Thus, Jesus explains both that only those whom the Father teaches can come to Him, and all that the Father teaches will come to Him. The operative factor is God Himself causing a person’s heart to know and understand Him.

and also
The phrase “and also” translates the καὶ…δὲ (kai…de) construction, which is often used to introduce a new or additional point not previously mentioned. By using this construction Jesus adds to the intensity and offense of His teaching and speaks of His own flesh as the bread the Jews must eat to be satisfied, emphasizing that it is He Himself whom they truly need.

knowing
“Knowing” translates the Greek term οἶδα (oida), which usually carries the connotation of knowledge that is gained by spiritual sight or awareness. It is the same term used in verse 64, and the consistency in translation highlights Jesus’ deep knowledge of the state of His disciples.

were grumbling
“Were grumbling” carries over the meaning of the present tense for the verb γογγύζουσιν (gongyzousin) here, which portrays an action as actively unfolding. Such a use of the present tense here adds drama to the scene as Jesus is aware of their grumbling while they are in the middle of it.

the One who gives life
The translation, “The Spirit is the One who gives life” is a more accurate rendering of the Greek text (τὸ πνεῦμά ἐστιν τὸ ζῳοποιοῦν; to pneuma estin to zōopoioun) than something like “It is the Spirit…” or simply “The Spirit gives…”. Beginning with “The Spirit” reflects the original Greek word order and “the One who gives life” demonstrates that τὸ ζῳοποιοῦν (to zōopoioun) is a participial construction and not simply a verb. This translation thus provides a more literal rendering and gives the reader a clearer window into the original Greek text.

went away
“Went away” captures a more literal translation of the term ἀπέρχομαι (apechomai). Since this rendering carries the language of “going,” it is therefore easier to see the connection between the appearance of the term here and in verse 68 (“to whom shall we go”). In this verse, some disciples leave, but later, the true disciples exclaim that they see no such option, for there is no one else to go to who has the words of life.

Do you also want to go?
This question opens with the Greek negative particle Μή (Mē), which, according to normal Greek usage, sets an expectation of a negative answer. This is why some translations structure the question, “You do not…do you?” However, to avoid adding words which do not appear in the Greek, the rhetorical question is simply translated with a familiar English structure. This way, nothing external is added and the force of the rhetorical question and the expected negative answer remain perfectly intact. Jesus’ phrasing of this question here not only shows that He expects the twelve to stay with Him (though He knows that Judas will not, cf. vv. 70–71), but He also sets them up for the opportunity to affirm their devotion to Him. In light of Jesus’ teaching throughout this chapter, this should encourage them that they who truly believe have been taught by God and will never be lost.

to go
While some translations render the word ὑπάγω (hypagō) as “go away,” the simple translation “go” helps to distinguish the Greek word here from the different word used in the previous verse (ἀπέρχομαι; aperchomai), which described the many who “went away.” The emphasis here is slightly more specific, as ὑπάγω (hypagō) describes not just “going away,” but “leaving someone’s presence.” These twelve were the ones closest to Jesus, and their decision to leave would have been even more drastic than the many disciples who were merely following Him around. This also serves to emphasize the depravity of Judas, one of the twelve closest to Jesus, who nonetheless would abandon Him because he was not a true believer taught by God. The ultimate factor in staying with Jesus is not time or proximity, but divine intervention.

was speaking
Refer to the discussion on verse 2 above. This verb is also in the Greek imperfect tense. John here is communicating continual or progressive action, making the narrative more vivid—as though the reader is there hearing these things Jesus was saying.