John 6:60

King James Version (1611 Edition)

Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying, who can heare it?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore, when many of his disciples heard this, they said, “This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?”

King James Version
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?

English Standard Version
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"

New American Standard Bible
So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?"

New Century Version
When the followers of Jesus heard this, many of them said, "This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?"

Amplified Bible
When many of His disciples heard this, they said, "This is a difficult and harsh and offensive statement. Who can [be expected to] listen to it?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?"

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?"

Berean Standard Bible
On hearing it, many of His disciples said, "This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?"

Contemporary English Version
Many of Jesus' disciples heard him and said, "This is too hard for anyone to understand."

Complete Jewish Bible
On hearing it, many of his talmidim said, "This is a hard word — who can bear to listen to it?"

Darby Translation
Many therefore of his disciples having heard [it] said, This word is hard; who can hear it?

Easy-to-Read Version
When Jesus' followers heard this, many of them said, "This teaching is hard. Who can accept it?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Many therefore of his disciples (when they heard this) sayde, This is an hard saying: who can heare it?

George Lamsa Translation
Many of his disciples who heard it said, This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?

Good News Translation
Many of his followers heard this and said, "This teaching is too hard. Who can listen to it?"

Lexham English Bible
Thus many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This saying is hard! Who can understand it?"

Literal Translation
Then many of His disciples having heard, they said, This Word is hard; who is able to hear it?

American Standard Version
Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?

Bible in Basic English
Then, hearing this, a number of his disciples said, This is a hard saying; who is able to take in such teaching?

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore many of his talmidim, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can hear it?"

International Standard Version
When many of his disciples heard this, they said, "This is a difficult statement. Who can acceptlisten to">[fn] it?"Matthew 11:6; John 6:66;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
And many of his disciples who heard said, A hard word is this: who can hear it ?

Murdock Translation
And many of his disciples who heard [fn] , said: This is a hard speech, who can hear it.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Many therfore of his disciples, when they had hearde this, saide: This is an harde saying, who can abyde the hearyng of it?

English Revised Version
Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?

World English Bible
Therefore many of his disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying! Who can hear it?"

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Many of his disciples hearing it, said, This is an hard saying: who can hear it?

Weymouth's New Testament
Many therefore of His disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is hard to accept. Who can listen to such teaching?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor many of hise disciplis herynge, seiden, This word is hard, who may here it?

Update Bible Version
Many therefore of his disciples, when they heard [this], said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?

Webster's Bible Translation
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard [this], said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it?

New English Translation
Then many of his disciples, when they heard these things, said, "This is a difficult saying! Who can understand it?"

New King James Version
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"

New Living Translation
Many of his disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"

New Life Bible
After hearing this, many of His followers said, "This teaching is too hard! Who can listen to it?"

New Revised Standard
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Many, of his disciples, therefore, when they heard, said - Hard, is this discourse, - Who can, thereunto, hearken?

Douay-Rheims Bible
(6-61) Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is hard; and who can hear it?

Revised Standard Version
Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?"

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Many of his disciples when they had herde this sayde: this is an herde sayinge: who can abyde the hearinge of it?

Young's Literal Translation
many, therefore, of his disciples having heard, said, `This word is hard; who is able to hear it?'

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Many now of his disciples that herde this, sayde: This is an harde sayenge, who maye abyde the hearynge of it?

Mace New Testament (1729)
when many of his disciples, who heard him, said, this is strange doctrine, who can hear it?

THE MESSAGE
Many among his disciples heard this and said, "This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow."

Simplified Cowboy Version
On hearing all of this, many of the day workers who followed him around said, "I quit. He's gone too far this time."

Contextual Overview

⁶⁰ Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying, who can heare it? ⁶¹ When Iesus knew in himselfe, that his disciples murmured at it, hee said vnto them, Doeth this offend you? ⁶² What and if yee shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where hee was before? ⁶³ It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the wordes that I speake vnto you, they are Spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴ But there are some of you that beleeue not. For Iesus knew from the beginning, who they were that beleeued not, and who should betray him. ⁶⁵ And he said, Therefore said I vnto you, that no man can come vnto me, except it were giuen vnto him of my Father. ⁶⁶ From that time many of his disciples went backe, and walked no more with him. ⁶⁷ Then said Iesus vnto the twelue, Will ye also goe away? ⁶⁸ Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we goe? Thou hast the words of eternall life. And we beleeue and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Sonne of the liuing God. Iesus answered them, Haue not I chosen you twelue, and one of you is a deuill? He spake of Iudas Iscariot the sonne of Simon: for hee it was that should betray him, being one of the twelue. ⁶⁹span data-lang="eng" data-trans="kja" data-ref="joh.6.1" class="versetxt"> After these things Iesus went ouer the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias: And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which hee did on them that were diseased. And Iesus went vp into a mountaine, and there hee sate with his disciples. And the Passeouer, a feast of the Iewes, was nigh. When Iesus then lift vp his eyes, and saw a great company come vnto him, he saith vnto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eate? (And this he said to proue him: for he himselfe knew what he would doe) Philip answered him, Two hundred peny-worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that euery one of them may take a litle. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peters brother, saith vnto him, There is a lad here, which hath fiue barley loaues, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Iesus said, Make the men sit downe. Now there was much grasse in the place. So the men sate downe, in number about fiue thousand. And Iesus tooke the loaues, and when he had giuen thankes, hee distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set downe, and likewise of the fishes, as much as they would. When they were filled, he said vnto his disciples, Gather vp the fragments that remaine, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelue baskets with the fragments of the fiue barley loaues, which remained ouer and aboue, vnto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seene the miracle that Iesus did, said, This is of a trueth that Prophet that should come into the world. When Iesus therefore perceiued that they would come and take him by force, to make him a King, hee departed againe into a mountaine, himselfe alone. And when euen was now come, his disciples went downe vnto the sea, And entred into a ship, and went ouer the sea towards Capernaum: and it was now darke, and Iesus was not come to them. And the sea arose, by reason of a great winde that blew. So when they had rowed about fiue and twentie, or thirtie furlongs, they see Iesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh vnto the ship: and they were afraid. But he saith vnto them, It is I, be not afraid. Then they willingly receiued him into the ship, and immediatly the ship was at the land whither they went. The day following, when the people which stood on the other side of the sea, saw that there was none other boat there, saue that one whereinto his disciples were entred, and that Iesus went not with his disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone: Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias, nigh vnto the place where they did eate bread, after that the Lord had giuen thankes: When the people therefore saw that Iesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also tooke shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Iesus. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they saide vnto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? Iesus answered them, and said, Uerely, verely I say vnto you, Ye seeke me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because yee did eate of the loaues, and were filled. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth vnto euerlasting life, which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Then said they vnto him, What shall we doe, that we might worke the workes of God? Iesus answered, and said vnto them, This is the worke of God, that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent. They said therefore vnto him, What signe shewest thou then, that we may see, and beleeue thee? What doest thou worke? Our fathers did eate Manna in the desert, as it is written, He gaue them bread from heauen to eate. Then Iesus said vnto them, Uerely, verely I say vnto you, Moses gaue you not that bread from heauen, but my Father giueth you the true bread from heauen. For the bread of God is hee which commeth downe from heauen, and giueth life vnto the world. Then said they vnto him, Lord, euermore giue vs this bread. And Iesus said vnto them, I am the bread of life: hee that commeth to me, shall neuer hunger: and he that beleeueth on me, shall neuer thirst. But I said vnto you, that ye also haue seene me, and beleeue not. All that the Father giueth mee, shall come to mee; and him that commeth to me, I will in no wise cast out. For I came downe from heauen, not to doe mine owne will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Fathers wil which hath sent me, that of all which he hath giuen mee, I should lose nothing, but should raise it vp againe at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that euery one which seeth the Sonne, and beleeueth on him, may haue euerlasting life: and I will raise him vp at the last day. The Iewes then murmured at him, because hee said, I am the bread which came downe from heauen. And they said, Is not this Iesus the sonne of Ioseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that hee sayth, I came downe from heauen? Iesus therefore answered, and said vnto them, Murmure not among your selues. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me, draw him: and I will raise him vp at the last day. It is written in the Prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Euery man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, commeth vnto me, Not that any man hath seene the Father; saue hee which is of God, hee hath seene the Father. Uerely, verely I say vnto you, Hee that beleeueth on me, hath euerlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse, and are dead. This is the bread which commeth downe from heauen, that a man may eate thereof, and not die. I am the liuing bread, which came downe from heauen. If any man eate of this bread, he shall liue for euer: and the bread that I will giue, is my flesh, which I will giue for the life of the world. The Iewes therefore stroue amongst themselues, saying, How can this man giue vs his flesh to eate? Then Iesus sayd vnto them, Uerely, verely I say vnto you, Except yee eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke his blood, yee haue no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life, and I will raise him vp at the last day. For my flesh is meate indeed, and my blood is drinke indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the liuing Father hath sent me, and I liue by the Father: so, he that eateth me, euen he shall liue by me. This is that bread which came downe from heauen: not as your fathers did eate Manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread, shall liue for euer. These things said hee in the Synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying, who can heare it? When Iesus knew in himselfe, that his disciples murmured at it, hee said vnto them, Doeth this offend you? What and if yee shall see the sonne of man ascend vp where hee was before? It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing: the wordes that I speake vnto you, they are Spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that beleeue not. For Iesus knew from the beginning, who they were that beleeued not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I vnto you, that no man can come vnto me, except it were giuen vnto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went backe, and walked no more with him. Then said Iesus vnto the twelue, Will ye also goe away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we goe? Thou hast the words of eternall life.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

of his: John 6:66, John 8:31

This: John 6:41, John 6:42, John 8:43, Matthew 11:6, Hebrews 5:11, 2 Peter 3:16

Reciprocal: Matthew 24:10 - shall many Mark 6:3 - offended Mark 10:24 - astonished Luke 7:23 - General Luke 9:58 - Jesus John 3:4 - How John 3:9 - How John 7:36 - manner John 10:6 - they understood not John 14:22 - how Acts 17:20 - strange

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Many therefore of his disciples,.... Not of the twelve, nor of the seventy, but of the multitude of the disciples, who followed him from place to place, attended on his ministry, and might be baptized in his name; see John 4:1;

when they had heard [this]; that his flesh and blood were truly and really meat and drink, and that none had life in them, or should have eternal life, but such as eat and drink the same:

said, this is an hard saying; or it is to be objected to; so קשיא, "an hard thing", the word here used in the Syriac version, and עלי

קשה הוא, "it is to me a hard thing", are phrases used to express an objection in the Talmudic writings, where they are often met with: or it is difficult to be understood and received; so הדבר הקשה, "an hard saying", or "an hard cause", is a cause difficult to be tried and determined, Exodus 18:26, and is used of that which seems incredible and absurd, and is surprising and unaccountable: so it is said z, that

"it happened to a certain woman, that she came before R. Abika: she said to him, I have seen a spot; he said to her, perhaps there is a wound in thee; she answered him, yes, and it is healed; he replied, perhaps it may be opened, and the blood brought out; she answered him, yes; and he pronounced her clean. R. Abika saw his disciples look upon one another; and he said unto them, מה הדבר קשה, "is this an hard saying with you?"''

is it a difficult thing with you? does it seem absurd to you? or are you surprised at it? anything difficult, or which seems irreconcilable, is so called: so the slaying the passover between the two evenings is called by Aben Ezra, in Exodus 12:6, מלה קשה, "an hard saying". In like sense the phrase is used here; and the allusion may be to food that is hard of digestion, since Christ had been speaking of himself under the metaphors of bread and meat. As some of the doctrines of Christ are comparable to milk, which is easy of digestion; others are like to strong meat, which belongs to those of full age, and cannot be digested by children, by babes in Christ, and much less be received, ate, and digested, with ease and pleasure, by carnal minds; who therefore say, as these Capernaites did,

who can hear it? this saying, or doctrine, concerning eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of Christ; or "him" Christ, who delivered this doctrine: such preaching, and such a preacher, are intolerable; there is no hearing, nor bearing them: hence we afterwards read, that these withdrew from the ministry of Christ, John 6:66.

z Misn. Nidda, c. 8, sect. 3.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Many of his disciples - The word “disciple” means “learner.” It was applied to the followers of Christ because they were taught by him. It does not imply, of necessity, that those to whom it was given were real Christians, but simply that they were under his teaching, and were professed learners in his school. See Matthew 17:16; Mark 2:18; John 9:28; Matthew 10:24. It is doubtless used in this sense here. It is, however, often applied to those who are real Christians.

This is an hard saying - The word “hard” here means “offensive, disagreeable” - that which they could not bear. Some have understood it to mean “difficult to be understood,” but this meaning does not suit the connection. The doctrine which he delivered was opposed to their prejudices; it seemed to be absurd, and they therefore rejected it.

Saying - Rather doctrine or speech - Greek, λόγος logos. It does not refer to any particular part of the discourse, but includes the whole.

Who can hear it? - That is, who can hear it patiently - who can stay and listen to such doctrine or believe it. The effect of this is stated in John 6:66. The doctrines which Jesus taught that were so offensive appear to have been:

1.That he was superior to Moses.

2.That God would save all that he had chosen and those only.

3.That he said he was the bread that came from heaven.

4.That it was necessary to partake of that; that it was necessary that an atonement should be made, and that they should be saved by that.

These doctrines have always been among the most offensive that men have been called on to believe, and many, rather than trust in them, have chosen to draw back to perdition.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 60. Many therefore of his disciples — So it appears that he had many more than the twelve, who constantly accompanied him.

This is a hard saying; who can hear it? — Who can digest such doctrine as this? It is intolerable: it is impracticable. There is a similar saving in Euripides, to the σκληρος λογος of the evangelist. Ποτερα θελεις σοι μαλθακα ψευδη λεγω, η σκληρ' αληθη, φραζε; Tell me whether thou wouldst that I should speak unto thee, a SOFT LIE, or the HARSH TRUTH? The wicked word of a lying world is in general better received than the holy word of the God of truth!