John 6:28

International Standard Version

Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

King James Version (1611)
Then said they vnto him, What shall we doe, that we might worke the workes of God?

King James Version
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

English Standard Version
Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"

New American Standard Bible
Therefore they said to Him, "What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?"

New Century Version
The people asked Jesus, "What are the things God wants us to do?"

Amplified Bible
Then they asked Him, "What are we to do, so that we may habitually be doing the works of God?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore they said to Him, "What should we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

Berean Standard Bible
Then they inquired, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"

Contemporary English Version
"What exactly does God want us to do?" the people asked.

Complete Jewish Bible
So they said to him, "What should we do in order to perform the works of God?"

Darby Translation
They said therefore to him, What should we do that we may work the works of God?

Easy-to-Read Version
The people asked Jesus, "What does God want us to do?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then sayde they vnto him, What shall we doe, that we might worke the workes of God?

George Lamsa Translation
They said to him, What shall we do to work the works of God?

Good News Translation
So they asked him, "What can we do in order to do what God wants us to do?"

Lexham English Bible
So they said to him, "What shall we do that we can accomplish the works of God?"

Literal Translation
Then they said to Him, What may we do that we may work the works of God?

American Standard Version
They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?

Bible in Basic English
Then they said to him, How may we do the works of God?

Hebrew Names Version
They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"

Etheridge Translation
They say to him, What shall we do that we may work the works of Aloha ?

Murdock Translation
They said to him: What shall we do, in order to work the works of God?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then saide they vnto him: What shall we do, that we myght worke ye workes of God?

English Revised Version
They said therefore unto him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?

World English Bible
They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?

Weymouth's New Testament
"What are we to do," they asked, "in order to carry out the things that God requires?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thei seiden to hym, What schulen we do, that we worche the werkis of God?

Update Bible Version
They said therefore to him, What must we do, that we may work the works of God?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said they to him, What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?

New English Translation
So then they said to him, "What must we do to accomplish the deeds God requires?"

New King James Version
Then they said to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?"

New Living Translation
They replied, "We want to perform God's works, too. What should we do?"

New Life Bible
Then the people said to Him, "What are the works God wants us to do?"

New Revised Standard
Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They said, therefore, unto him - What are we to do, that we may be working the works of God?

Douay-Rheims Bible
They said therefore unto him: What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?

Revised Standard Version
Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then sayd they vnto him: what shall we do that we myght worke ye workes of God?

Young's Literal Translation
They said therefore unto him, `What may we do that we may work the works of God?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
The sayde they vnto him: What shal we do, that we maye worke ye workes of God?

Mace New Testament (1729)
then said they to him, what shall we do, that our works may he agreeable to God?

THE MESSAGE
To that they said, "Well, what do we do then to get in on God's works?"

Simplified Cowboy Version
They all replied, "We want to rope, ride, and brand for God's outfit too. What do we have to do first to saddle up with ya?"

Contextual Overview

²⁸ Then they said to him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" ²⁹ Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God: to believe in the one whom he has sent."1 John 3:23;">[xr] ³⁰ So they said to him, "What sign are you going to do so that we may see it and believe in you? What work are you performing?Matthew 12:38; 16:1; Mark 8:11; 1 Corinthians 1:22;">[xr] ³¹ Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"Psalm 78:24; Exodus 16:15; Numbers 11:7-9">[fn]Exodus 16:15; Numbers 11:7; Nehemiah 9:15; Psalm 78:24-25; 1 Corinthians 10:3;">[xr] ³² Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly I tell you, it was not Moses who gave 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 one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." ³⁴ Then they said to him, "Sir, give us this bread all the time."John 4:15;">[xr] ³⁵ Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never become hungry, and the one who believes in me will never become thirsty.John 4:14; 7:37;">[xr] ³⁶ I told you that you have seen me,me">[fn] yet you do not believe.John 6:26,64;">[xr] ³⁷ Everything the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will never turn away.Matthew 24:24; John 6:45; 10:28-29; 2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 2:19;">[xr]

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What: Deuteronomy 5:27, Jeremiah 42:3-6, Jeremiah 42:20, Micah 6:7, Micah 6:8, Matthew 19:16, Luke 10:25, Acts 2:37, Acts 9:6, Acts 16:30

Reciprocal: Mark 10:17 - what Luke 8:21 - which John 6:27 - Labour not Romans 14:6 - for 1 Corinthians 15:58 - the work

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said they unto him,.... Understanding by what he said, that they must labour and work, though not for perishing food, yet for durable food; and as they imagined, in order to obtain eternal life by working:

what shall we do that we might work the works of God? Such as are agreeable to his will, are acceptable to him, and well pleasing in his sight: they seem to intimate, as if they desired to know whether there were any other works of this kind, than what Moses had directed them to, or than they had done; and if there were, they suggest they would gladly do them; for this was the general cast and complexion of this people; they were seeking for righteousness, and life not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? - That is, such things as God will approve. This was the earnest inquiry of men who were seeking to be saved. They had crossed the Sea of Tiberias to seek him; they supposed him to be the Messiah, and they sincerely desired to be taught the way of life; yet it is observable that they expected to find that way as other sinners commonly do - by their works. The idea of doing something to merit salvation is one of the last that the sinner ever surrenders.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 28. That we might work the works of God? — That is, Divine works, or such as God can approve.