Daily Bread

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples^(A) said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”^(B)

⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you?^{(C) 62} Then what if you see the Son of Man^(D) ascend to where he was before!^{(E) 63} The Spirit gives life;^(F) the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit^[a] and life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known^(G) from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.^{(H) 65} He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”^(I)

⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples^(J) turned back and no longer followed him.

⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.^(K)

⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him,^(L) “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.^{(M) 69} We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”^(N)

⁷⁰ Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you,^(O) the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!”^{(P) 71} (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot,^(Q) who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)^(R)