²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake^(A) realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone.^{(B) 23} Then some boats from Tiberias^(C) landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.^{(D) 24} Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

²⁵ When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, “Rabbi,^(E) when did you get here?”

²⁶ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, you are looking for me,^(F) not because you saw the signs^(G) I performed but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. ²⁷ Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures^(H) to eternal life,^(I) which the Son of Man^(J) will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal^(K) of approval.”

²⁸ Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

²⁹ Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe^(L) in the one he has sent.”^(M)

³⁰ So they asked him, “What sign^(N) then will you give that we may see it and believe you?^(O) What will you do? ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna^(P) in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’^[a]”^(Q)

³² Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven^(R) and gives life to the world.”

³⁴ “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.”^(S)

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(T) the bread of life.^(U) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(V) in me will never be thirsty.^{(W) 36} But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me^(X) will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven^(Y) not to do my will but to do the will^(Z) of him who sent me.^{(AA) 39} And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me,^(AB) but raise them up at the last day.^{(AC) 40} For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son^(AD) and believes in him shall have eternal life,^(AE) and I will raise them up at the last day.”

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,^(AF) whose father and mother we know?^(AG) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(AH)

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(AI) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[b](AJ) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(AK) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(AL) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(AM) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(AN) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(AO) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(AP) that came down from heaven.^(AQ) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(AR)

⁵² Then the Jews^(AS) began to argue sharply among themselves,^(AT) “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

⁵³ Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh^(AU) of the Son of Man^(AV) and drink his blood,^(AW) you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.^{(AX) 55} For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.^{(AY) 57} Just as the living Father sent me^(AZ) and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”^{(BA) 59} He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The Divisions of Priests

24 These were the divisions^(A) of the descendants of Aaron:^(B)

The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.^{(C) 2} But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did,^(D) and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as the priests. ³ With the help of Zadok^(E) a descendant of Eleazar and Ahimelek a descendant of Ithamar, David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering. ⁴ A larger number of leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than among Ithamar’s, and they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of families from Eleazar’s descendants and eight heads of families from Ithamar’s descendants. ⁵ They divided them impartially by casting lots,^(F) for there were officials of the sanctuary and officials of God among the descendants of both Eleazar and Ithamar.

⁶ The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded their names in the presence of the king and of the officials: Zadok the priest, Ahimelek^(G) son of Abiathar and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites—one family being taken from Eleazar and then one from Ithamar.

¹⁹ This was their appointed order of ministering when they entered the temple of the Lord, according to the regulations prescribed for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded him.

The Rest of the Levites

²⁰ As for the rest of the descendants of Levi:^(M)

These were the Levites, according to their families. ³¹ They also cast lots,^(Q) just as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did, in the presence of King David and of Zadok, Ahimelek, and the heads of families of the priests and of the Levites. The families of the oldest brother were treated the same as those of the youngest.

The Lord Will Care for Judah