What Does John 6:34 Mean?
Then they said to him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.THE KEY
Their request for bread without end becomes a request for the one who stands before them, because the next verse names Jesus as the bread of life.
THE MEANING
The reader’s desire for this bread to remain available is spoken directly to Jesus: give us this bread always. The request reaches beyond a single meal, and Jesus’ next sentence identifies the bread as himself, making enduring provision a living presence.
THE ROOT
δός
dos
GROWS FROM
δίδωμι
didōmi
To give, grant, or place something in another’s possession.
They ask Jesus to give them this bread, and πάντοτε (pantote, always) makes the request ongoing: they want this giving to continue. The language of giving keeps attention on both the bread received and the giver who is present with them.
ALSO GROWS
dosis: Giving; the act or result of giving.
δόσις
This branch brings out the continuing act their request asks for: the bread is to be given again and again.
dōron: A gift; something given.
δῶρον
The bread is received as a gift, which prepares the reader for Jesus’ next words that identify the bread with himself.
THE PATTERN
Bread is received as continuing provision and points beyond the meal to the life God gives.
Then the LORD said to Moses, Look, I will rain bread for you from the heavens. The people shall go out and gather each day's portion on its day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my instruction or not.Give us today our bread for the coming day.Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me shall never hunger, and the one who leans their full weight into me shall never thirst.THE THREAD
Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me shall never hunger, and the one who leans their full weight into me shall never thirst.The same Greek word ἄρτος (artos, bread) appears in both verses. Their request for this bread receives its answer when Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.”
This reading is from Selah Verse.
You can read any verse this way in the app, keep it as a card, and send it on.
A Bible app where you send verses from your keyboard and in Messages, and every verse has a Deep Dive.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us