John 6:29

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

John 6:29 in Other Translations

29 Jesus answered and said unto them,This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

29 Jesus said, "Throw your lot in with the One that God has sent. That kind of a commitment gets you in on God's works."

29 Jesus replied, "This is the work of God: that you believe in the One He has sent."

John 6:29 Meaning and Commentary

John 6:29

Jesus answered and said unto them, this is the work of God,
&c.] The main and principal one, and which is well pleasing in his sight; and without which it is impossible to please him; and without which no work whatever is a good work; and this is of the operation of God, which he himself works in men; it is not of themselves, it is the pure gift of God:

that ye believe on him whom he hath sent;
there are other works which are well pleasing to God, when rightly performed, but faith is the chief work, and others are only acceptable when done in the faith of Christ. This, as a principle, is purely God's work; as it is an act, or as it is exercised under the influence of divine grace, it is man's act: "that ye believe"; the object of it is Christ, as sent by the Father, as the Mediator between God and men, as appointed by him to be the Saviour and Redeemer; and believing in Christ, is believing in God that sent him. The Jews reduce all the six hundred and thirteen precepts of the law, for so many they say there are, to this one, "the just shall live by his faith", ( Habakkuk 2:4 ) . ^F5

---

FOOTNOTES:

F5 T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 23. 2. & 24. 1.

John 6:29 In-Context

27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”

28 Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

29 Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

30 So they asked him, “What sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do?

31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

Cross References

• 1. 1 John 3:23
• 2. S John 3:17