John 6:52
New International Version
Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

New Living Translation
Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” they asked.

English Standard Version
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

Berean Standard Bible
At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore the Jews were arguing with one another, saying, "How is this man able to give us His flesh to eat?"

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

New King James Version
The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

New American Standard Bible
Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

NASB 1995
Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

NASB 1977
The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

Amplified Bible
Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

Christian Standard Bible
At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat? ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At that, the Jews argued among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

American Standard Version
The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Contemporary English Version
They started arguing with each other and asked, "How can he give us his flesh to eat?"

English Revised Version
The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The Jews began to quarrel with each other. They said, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Good News Translation
This started an angry argument among them. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.

International Standard Version
Then the Jewish leaders debated angrily with each other, asking, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Majority Standard Bible
At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”

NET Bible
Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

New Heart English Bible
The Jews therefore argued with one another, saying, "How can this one give us flesh to eat?"

Webster's Bible Translation
The Jews therefore contended among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Weymouth New Testament
This led to an angry debate among the Jews. "How can this man," they argued, "give us his flesh to eat?"

World English Bible
The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The Jews, therefore, were striving with one another, saying, “How is this One able to give us [His] flesh to eat?”

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore the Jews were arguing with one another, saying, "How is this man able to give us His flesh to eat?"

Young's Literal Translation
The Jews, therefore, were striving with one another, saying, 'How is this one able to give us his flesh to eat?'

Smith's Literal Translation
Then the Jews contended with one another, saying, How can he give us the flesh to eat.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, the Jews debated among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”

New American Bible
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat?”

New Revised Standard Version
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
The Jews argued one with another, saying, How can this man give us his body to eat?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But the Jews were arguing with one another and saying, “How can this man give us his body to eat?”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
The Jews, therefore, contended among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Godbey New Testament
Then the Jews were contending with one another, saying, How is this One able to give unto us His flesh to eat?

Haweis New Testament
Then the Jews contended with each other, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Mace New Testament
Upon this the Jews disputed among themselves, saying, how can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Weymouth New Testament
This led to an angry debate among the Jews. "How can this man," they argued, "give us his flesh to eat?"

Worrell New Testament
The Jews, therefore, were wrangling with one another, saying, "How can This Man give us His flesh to eat?"

Worsley New Testament
The Jews therefore cavilled amongst themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jesus the Bread of Life
51I 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.” 52At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.…

Cross References
Matthew 26:26-28
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.” / Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. / This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Mark 14:22-24
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.” / Then He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. / He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.

Luke 22:19-20
And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” / In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

1 Corinthians 10:16
Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 11:23-25
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, / and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” / In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 3:14-16
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, / that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. / For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 4:10-14
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” / “Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water? / Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?” ...

John 5:39-40
You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, / yet you refuse to come to Me to have life.

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

John 8:51
Truly, truly, I tell you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.

John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies. / And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

John 12:24
Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.


Treasury of Scripture

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

strove.

John 6:41
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.

John 7:40-43
Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet…

John 9:16
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

How.

John 3:4,9
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? …

John 4:11
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Acts 17:32
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

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John 6
1. Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes.
15. Thereupon the people would have made him king;
16. but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples;
26. reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word;
32. declares himself to be the bread of life to believers.
66. Many disciples depart from him.
68. Peter confesses him.
70. Judas is a devil.














At this
This phrase indicates a reaction to the preceding discourse of Jesus, where He speaks of Himself as the "bread of life" (John 6:48). The context is crucial here, as Jesus has just made a profound and challenging statement about His identity and mission. The phrase "at this" serves as a pivot point, highlighting the transition from Jesus' teaching to the response of His audience. It underscores the immediate impact of His words, which were both revolutionary and perplexing to His listeners.

the Jews
In the Gospel of John, "the Jews" often refers to the religious leaders or those in opposition to Jesus, rather than the Jewish people as a whole. This term is used to denote those who are resistant to Jesus' message and authority. Historically, this reflects the tension between Jesus and the established religious order of His time. The use of "the Jews" here emphasizes the growing conflict and misunderstanding between Jesus and the religious authorities.

began to argue among themselves
The Greek word for "argue" (μάχομαι, machomai) suggests a heated dispute or debate. This indicates that Jesus' statement caused significant confusion and controversy. The phrase "among themselves" implies a division within the group, as they struggle to comprehend and accept Jesus' teaching. This internal conflict reflects the broader theme of division that Jesus' message often brings, as it challenges existing beliefs and expectations.

How can this man
The phrase "this man" is indicative of skepticism and perhaps disdain. It reflects a lack of recognition of Jesus' divine nature and authority. The question "How can" reveals their incredulity and literal interpretation of Jesus' words. This skepticism is rooted in their inability to see beyond the physical and understand the spiritual implications of Jesus' teaching.

give us His flesh to eat?
This question is central to the misunderstanding of Jesus' metaphorical language. The Greek word for "flesh" (σάρξ, sarx) is often used to denote the physical body. The Jews' literal interpretation of "flesh to eat" shows their struggle to grasp the spiritual truth Jesus is conveying about His sacrificial death and the Eucharist. Historically, this reflects the challenge of accepting new revelation that transcends traditional understanding. The question underscores the necessity of faith to perceive the deeper spiritual realities that Jesus presents.

(52) The Jews therefore strove among themselves.--They have passed beyond the murmuring of John 6:41. They understand that He means, though His own words have not yet expressed it, that His flesh is to be eaten, and is thus to supply the principle of life. They contend one with another as to how this can really be.

Verses 52-59. -

(d) The conflict among the Jews leads Christ to insist further on separate participation of his flesh and blood as the condition of life. Verse 52. - The Jews therefore strove one with another (ἐμάχοντο represents more vigorous demonstration of their difficulties than the ἐγόγγυζον of ver. 41). They were not unanimous in their judgment. Some said one thing, and others said another. The "Jews" had not yet come to a unanimous opinion that this wonderful Being was talking sheer heresy or incomprehensible mystery. They knew his habit of metaphoric speech, and that underneath common imagery he was in the habit of conveying doctrines the full purport of which was not at once apparent. Some denounced him as uttering an intolerable riddle. Some saw, in a measure, through it, and hated the doctrine that was thereby conveyed. How could he be so essential to the life of the world? and how, said the pure materialist, "how can he give us his flesh to eat?" A question of great interest arises. He has already identified, in ver. 35, "coming to him," "reaching him" under the drawing of the Father, with the transcendent blessing of life eternal, of victory, over death, and resurrection. In ver. 40 "beholding" and "believing" are cognate or equivalent conditions of life and resurrection. In ver. 47, again, "believing," per se, is the essential and all-comprehensive condition. Now, has Christ added, in this verse, anything fresh to the fundamental ideas? Let it be pondered that he has already equated "believing" with eating a bread that endureth to everlasting life (vers. 27-29). He has declared himself to be the "Bread of life," and to be appropriated by "coming" and "believing." He has spoken of himself as "living Bread," which, coming for the life of the world from heaven itself, is offered as food. Now, what more than this has he said when he declared that he will offer his "flesh" as heavenly food? The Jews undoubtedly show, by their mutual contest, that he had put some part of the previous oracle in a still more enigmatical, if not offensive, form. So far the imagery was not altogether beyond them. Here it takes on a form which excites angry controversy. If they understood him to mean "doctrine," "truth," "cause," even "office," as Head of a spiritual school - as one providing by his gracious will ample nutriment for all who would eat of the rich banquet of his words - they would, to some extent, follow him. The eating of the tree of life was a well known figure in Hebrew Scripture (Proverbs 4:17; Proverbs 9:5); cf. the language of Isaiah (Isaiah 55:2), the action of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:1-3), and the imagery of Hosea (Hosea 10:13). In the "Midrash on Ecclesiastes 2:24; Ecclesiastes 3:12; Ecclesiastes 8:15," "eating and drinking" is said always to refer to the Law (Edersheim and Wunsche). But when he spoke of giving his "flesh" for the life of the world, he passed beyond the limits of their interpreting power. They did not see through his imagery; nor did Jesus exactly answer the angry query which they were putting one to another.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
At this,
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

the
οἱ (hoi)
Article - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Jews
Ἰουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2453: Jewish. From Iouda; Judaean, i.e. Belonging to Jehudah.

began to argue
Ἐμάχοντο (Emachonto)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3164: To engage in battle, fight; hence: To strive, contend, dispute.

among
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

themselves,
ἀλλήλους (allēlous)
Personal / Reciprocal Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 240: One another, each other. Genitive plural from allos reduplicated; one another.

“How
Πῶς (Pōs)
Adverb
Strong's 4459: Adverb from the base of pou; an interrogative particle of manner; in what way?; also as exclamation, how much!

can
δύναται (dynatai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1410: (a) I am powerful, have (the) power, (b) I am able, I can. Of uncertain affinity; to be able or possible.

this [man]
οὗτος (houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

give
δοῦναι (dounai)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 1325: To offer, give; I put, place. A prolonged form of a primary verb; to give.

us
ἡμῖν (hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473: I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

flesh
σάρκα (sarka)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4561: Flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

to eat?”
φαγεῖν (phagein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 5315: A primary verb; to eat.


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NT Gospels: John 6:52 The Jews therefore contended with one another (Jhn Jo Jn)
John 6:51
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