John 6:60 BSB — MannaFest

John 6:60

On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

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

KJV

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

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Commentary

0 voices

Cyril of Alexandria

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 4 (444)

This is the custom of the simple: they ever find fault with the more subtle doctrines and foolishly tear in pieces any thought that is above them, because themselves understand it not: although they ought rather to have been eager to learn, and to have loved to search diligently the things spoken, not on the contrary to rise up against so wise words, and call that hard, which they ought to have marvelled at. For they are somewhat in the same plight, as one may see those in who have lost their teeth.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

This is a hard saying - Hard to the children of the world, but sweet to the children of God. Scarce ever did our Lord speak more sublimely, even to the apostles in private.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible (1832)

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?

J.C. Ryle

1816–1900

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

17 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
πολλοὶ	polloi	Many	G4183 →
οὖν	oun	therefore	G3767 →
ἀκούσαντες	akousantes	having heard	G191 →
ἐκ	ek	of	G1537 →
τῶν	tōn	the	G3588 →
μαθητῶν	mathētōn	disciples	G3101 →
αὐτοῦ	autou	of Him	G846 →
εἶπαν·	eipan	said;	G2036 →
σκληρός	sklēros	Difficult	G4642 →
ἐστιν	estin	is	G1510 →
ὁ	ho	<the>	G3588 →
λόγος	logos	word	G3056 →
οὗτος·	houtos	this;	G3778 →
τίς	tis	who	G5101 →
δύναται	dunatai	is able	G1410 →
αὐτοῦ	autou	it	G846 →
ἀκούειν;¶	akouein	to hear?	G191 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
John 8:31
So He said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.
leads to
- 2 John 1:9
  Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son.
- John 15:4–9
  Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.
- 2 Timothy 3:14
  But as for you, continue in the things you have learned and firmly believed, since you know from whom you have learned them.
- 1 Timothy 4:16
  Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
- James 1:25
  But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom, and continues to do so—not being a forgetful hearer, but an effective doer—he will be blessed in what he does.
Through
John 6:66
From that time on many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Him.
leads to
- Luke 9:62
  Then Jesus declared, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”
- 1 John 2:19
  They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of…
- Hebrews 10:38
  But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”