Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

World English Bible · Public Domain

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

  • TYNDALE Tyndale New Testament (1534)

    When Iesus perceaved that they wolde come and take him vp to make him kinge he departed agayne into a mountayne him silfe a lone.

  • GNV Geneva Bible (1599)

    When Iesus therfore perceiued that they would come, and take him to make him a King, hee departed againe into a mountaine himselfe alone.

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Cross-references (9)

Passages linked to John 6:15 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.

  • John 18:36 Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.”
  • John 7:3-4 His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do. For no one does anything in secret while he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.”
  • Luke 19:38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”
  • John 6:15-21 Jesus therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the mountain by himself. When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea. They entered into the boat, and were going over the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not come to them. The sea was tossed by a great wind blowing. When therefore they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid. But he said to them, “It is I. Don’t be afraid.” They were willing therefore to receive him into the boat. Immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
  • Mark 11:9 Those who went in front, and those who followed, cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
  • Mark 6:45-52 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he himself sent the multitude away. After he had taken leave of them, he went up the mountain to pray. When evening had come, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. Seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and he would have passed by them, but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he immediately spoke with them, and said to them, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” He got into the boat with them; and the wind ceased, and they were very amazed among themselves, and marveled; for they hadn’t understood about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
  • Matthew 14:22-33 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat, and to go ahead of him to the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. After he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into the mountain by himself to pray. When evening had come, he was there alone. But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, distressed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. In the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It’s a ghost!” and they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Cheer up! It is I! Don’t be afraid.” Peter answered him and said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the waters.” He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased. Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”
  • John 2:24-25 But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them, because he knew everyone, and because he didn’t need for anyone to testify concerning man; for he himself knew what was in man.
  • John 5:41 I don’t receive glory from men.

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

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Explain this verse (21 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 15. To make him a king. When those men…

15. To make him a king. When those men intended to give to Christ the title and honor of king, there was some ground for what they did. But they erred egregiously in taking upon themselves the liberty of making a king; for Scripture ascribes this as peculiar to God alone, as it is said,

I have appointed my king on my holy hill of Zion, (Psalm 2:6.)

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Again, what sort of kingdom do they contrive for him? An earthly one, which is utterly inconsistent with his person. Hence let us learn how dangerous it is, in the things of God, to neglect His word, and to contrive anything of our own opinion; for there is nothing which the foolish subtlety of our understanding does not corrupt. And what avails the pretense of zeal, when by our disorderly worship we offer a greater insult to God than if a person were expressly and deliberately to make an attack on his glory?

We know how furious were the efforts of adversaries to extinguish the glory of Christ. That violence, indeed, reached its extreme point when he was crucified. But by means of his crucifixion salvation was obtained for the world, and Christ himself obtained a splendid triumph over death and Satan. If he had permitted himself to be now made a king, his spiritual kingdom would have been ruined, the Gospel would have been stamped with everlasting infamy, and the hope of salvation would have been utterly destroyed. Modes of worship regulated according to our own fancy, and honors rashly contrived by men, have no other advantage than this, that they rob God of his true honor, and pour upon him nothing but reproach.

And take him by force. We must also observe the phrase, take by force They wished to take Christ by force, the Evangelist says; that is, with impetuous violence they wished to make him a king, though against his will. If we desire, therefore, that he should approve of the honor which we confer upon him, we ought always to consider what he requires. And, indeed, they who venture to offer to God honors invented by themselves are chargeable with using some sort of force and violence towards him; for obedience is the foundation of true worship. Let us also learn from it with what reverence we ought to abide by the pure and simple word of God; for as soon as we turn aside in the smallest degree, the truth is poisoned by our leaven, so that it is no longer like itself. They learned from the word of God that he who was promised to be the Redeemer would be a king; but out of their own head they contrive an earthly kingdom, and they assign to him a kingdom contrary to the word of God. Thus, whenever we mix up our own opinions with the word of God, faith degenerates into frivolous conjectures. Let believers, therefore, cultivate habitual modesty, lest Satan hurry them into an ardor of inconsiderate and rash zeal, so that, like the Giants, they shall rush violently against God, who is never worshipped aright but when we receive him as he presents himself to us.

It is astonishing that five thousand men should have been seized with such daring presumption, that they did not hesitate, by making a new king, to provoke against themselves Pilate’s army and the vast power of the Roman empire; and it is certain that they would never have gone so far, if they had not, relying on the predictions of the Prophets, hoped that God would be on their side, and, consequently, that they would overcome. But still they went wrong in contriving a kingdom of which the Prophets had never spoken. So far are they from having the hand of God favorable to aid their undertaking that, on the contrary, Christ withdraws. That was also the reason why wretched men under Popery wandered so long in gross darkness — while God was, as it were, absent — because they had dared to pollute the whole of his worship by their foolish inventions.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Christ is not only not delighted, but also greatly…
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain This motion of Christ into a mountain alone, after…
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain Here we have observable, The wonderful effect of the…
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain Here is, I. Christ's retirement from the multitude.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain When Jesus therefore perceived,.... As being the omniscient God,…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain He retired to the mountain alone - Having ordered…
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 15. Take him by force, to make him…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain Joh 6:15-21. When Jesus perceived — Through the knowledge…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain When Jesus perceived ... - They were satisfied by…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain St. John here corrects what relates to Jesus, and…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain departed . . . to a mountain himself alone--(1)…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain § 65.—JESUS WALKS ON THE SEA, Joh_6:15-21.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 15. take him by force] Carry Him up to…
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (15) When Jesus therefore perceived. . . .—St. John…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Jesus therefore knowing (having found, perceived (gnouv), by ominous…
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain 15. Perceived that they would come and take him…
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain Mat 14:22-36; Mar 6:45-56; & Joh 6:15-21. Mark: “And…
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain Christ Walks on the Sea. Joh 6:15-21
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 6:15 The people were ready to force Jesus to…

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