John 6

One sea with two names, and the writer gives both.

The reason for following is the signs — verse 26 measures that again.

He goes up the mountain; at verse 15 he withdraws to it again.

The nearness of Passover is set before the bread that follows.

He asks Philip — 1:44 said Philip was from Bethsaida.

The writer breaks in to say what the question was for.

A denarius names a day's wage, so it stands as it is.

Andrew is placed as the brother of Simon Peter, as at 1:40.

Barley loaves — cheaper than wheat.

Men here renders a word for males, not people in general — that is how the Greek counts.

Given thanks renders εὐχαριστέω (eucharisteō), the word repeated at verse 23.

Nothing may be lost is the same word as “I lose nothing” at verse 39.

Twelve hampers left over. The account closes by counting what remains.

The prophet is the word behind the question John denied at 1:21.

He withdraws from being made king. The book sets that down as the outcome of a sign.

Went down — from the mountain to the sea.

Darkness had already come — this book places darkness with care (3:2 and 13:30 are the same).

Set in the imperfect — the wind and sea are still at it.

Stadia names a length, so it stands as it is; converting adds a precision the text does not have.

I am is the phrase of 4:26 (ἐγώ εἰμι, egō eimi). Here it can also be read as plain “it is I”.

The boat's arrival is not called a sign.

The writer sets out what the crowd saw, to set up the question of verse 25. Small boat (πλοιάριον) is the diminutive of boat (πλοῖον) — the text uses both in one verse, and the English keeps them apart.

The writer points back to the giving of thanks in verse 11.

They cross to Capernaum; verse 59 says the synagogue there.

The question is when, not how.

The “because they were seeing the signs” of verse 2 is turned around — because you ate.

Work here shares a root with the “works” of verse 28. Set his seal is the word from 3:33.

They give works back in the plural; verse 29 returns it to one.

Work is singular here, deliberately against the plural of verse 28.

Those who have already seen a sign ask for a sign.

The writer does not name where the quoted line comes from.

The tense moves from has given to is giving — the shift from past to present is the point of the line.

Whether that which comes down is bread or a person is open in the Greek.

The same shape as 4:15, “give me this water” — still heard on the plain level.

The first I am with a predicate. This book returns to that form seven times.

Seeing and believing are pulled apart.

All is neuter singular — people gathered as a thing given.

Come down takes up the word of verse 33 and turns it on himself.

Lose nothing is the same word as “nothing may be lost” at verse 12.

The neuter all of verse 39 becomes everyone here.

Grumbling is the word used of Israel in the wilderness.

The son of Joseph — this book never tells of a birth, yet here the people name him so.

He takes up their own word from verse 41 and forbids it.

Draws renders ἕλκω (helkō), the word used for hauling a net or drawing a sword — 12:32, 18:10 and 21:6 all use it.

After the quotation the explanation comes from Jesus, not the writer.

It repeats “no one has seen” from 1:18 and then makes one exception.

Has stands in the present, as at 5:24.

Verse 35 said in one line.

It takes up the manna of verse 31 and adds and died.

This points at the bread.

Flesh (σάρξ, sarx) enters here — the word of 1:14, “the Word became flesh”.

Fighting is a stronger word than the grumbling of verse 41.

Flesh and blood come together.

The verb changes here. Not the ordinary “eat” of verse 53 but τρώγω (trōgō), a word with the sound of chewing in it. This edition keeps the change by rendering it chews.

True stands twice.

Remains is the word from 5:38, and chapter 15 is built on it.

Because of is set twice in the same shape.

The manna begun at verse 31 is closed here.

The writer gives the place — the synagogue at Capernaum.

Hard renders a word for what is rough and hard to bear.

Stumble renders σκανδαλίζω (skandalizō), whose root is a trap being sprung.

The question is left unfinished — no second half is given.

The flesh profits nothing — said after verses 51 to 58 spoke of flesh. Holding the two places in one word is the shape of this chapter.

The writer breaks in with from the beginning.

Verse 44 is taken up and said again.

Went back — the text records that many of the disciples leave.

The twelve appear in this book for the first time.

Peter answers. This book has no separate confession scene like Matthew 16.

Believed and come to know — belief stands before knowledge.

Slanderer renders διάβολος (diabolos), whose root is “to throw across, to divide”. This edition does not render it as devil.

The writer names him — Judas son of Simon Iscariot.