# John 6.54-55

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 52. <span class="rl-speech">The Jews therefore strove one with another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?</span> 53. Jesus therefore said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have not life in yourselves.</span>
>
> **54. <span class="rl-speech">He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day.</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.</span>**
>
> 56. <span class="rl-speech">He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood abideth in me, and I in him.</span> 57. <span class="rl-speech">As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he that eateth me, he also shall live because of me.</span> (John 6:52-57, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 52. <span class="rl-speech">The Jews therefore contended with one another, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”</span> 53. Jesus therefore said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“Most certainly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you don’t have life in yourselves.</span>
>
> **54. <span class="rl-speech">He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.</span>**
>
> 56. <span class="rl-speech">He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me, and I in him.</span> 57. <span class="rl-speech">As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father; so he who feeds on me, he will also live because of me.</span> (John 6:52-57, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 52. <span class="rl-speech">The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?</span> 53. Then Jesus said unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.</span>
>
> **54. <span class="rl-speech">Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.</span>**
>
> 56. <span class="rl-speech">He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.</span> 57. <span class="rl-speech">As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.</span> (John 6:52-57, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 52. <span class="rl-speech">The Jews, therefore, were striving with one another, saying, 'How is this one able to give us [his] flesh to eat?'</span> 53. <span class="rl-speech">Jesus, therefore, said to them, 'Verily, verily, I say to you, If ye may not eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and may not drink his blood, ye have no life in yourselves;</span>
>
> **54. <span class="rl-speech">he who is eating my flesh, and is drinking my blood, hath life age-during, and I will raise him up in the last day;</span> 55. <span class="rl-speech">for my flesh truly is food, and my blood truly is drink;</span>**
>
> 56. <span class="rl-speech">he who is eating my flesh, and is drinking my blood, doth remain in me, and I in him.</span> 57. <span class="rl-speech">'According as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, he also who is eating me, even that one shall live because of me;</span> (John 6:52-57, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G0166 - aionios](/codex/g0166-aionios/), *aionios* (Strong's G166). Also appears in: [Matthew 19](/codex/matthew-19/), [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/), [Mark 3.20-30](/codex/mark-3-20-30/).
- [G2222 - zoe](/codex/g2222-zoe/), *zoe* (Strong's G2222). Also appears in: [Matthew 7.13-14](/codex/matthew-7-13-14/), [Matthew 19](/codex/matthew-19/), [Matthew 25.46](/codex/matthew-25-46/).
- [G4561 - sarx](/codex/g4561-sarx/), *sarx* (Strong's G4561). Also appears in: [Matthew 19](/codex/matthew-19/), [Matthew 26.41](/codex/matthew-26-41/), [Mark 14](/codex/mark-14/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 6.26-65](/codex/john-6-26-65/)
- [Young's Literal Translation](/codex/ylt/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0166 - aionios](/codex/g0166-aionios/), via [John 6.54](/codex/john-6-54/)
- [G1453 - egeiro](/codex/g1453-egeiro/), via [John 6.54](/codex/john-6-54/)
- [G4561 - sarx](/codex/g4561-sarx/), via [John 6.51-58](/codex/john-6-51-58/)

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