53Jesus
said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and
drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last
day. 55For
my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever
eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just
as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me
will live because of me.58This
is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who
feeds on this bread will live forever." 59He
said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
60On
hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept
it?"
61Aware
that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend
you? 62What
if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The
Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. 64Yet
there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning
which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He
went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father
has enabled him."
66From
this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67"You
do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve.
68Simon
Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We
believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
70Then
Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71(He
meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray
him.)
