AUV(i)
53 So, Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the physical body of the Son of man and drink His blood, you do not have [spiritual] life in yourselves [Note: The references to “body” and “blood” throughout this section allude to taking Jesus’ life and teaching into one’s heart. See verse 56].
54 The person who eats my physical body and drinks my blood has never ending life [See note on 5:24], and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day [i.e., the judgment day].
55 For my physical body is real food and my blood is [the] real drink.
56 The person who eats my physical body and drinks my blood lives in me and I [live] in him.
57 Just as the living Father has sent me, and I have [physical and spiritual] life because of the Father, so the person who eats me will also have [physical ? and spiritual] life because of me.
58 This is the bread that came down from heaven [i.e., Jesus is referring to Himself]. [It is] not like [the bread] our forefathers ate and [then] died. The person who eats this bread will live forever.”
59 Jesus said these things in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 So, when they heard [these things], many of Jesus’ disciples said, “This is difficult teaching. Who can listen to it [i.e., and accept it]?”
61 But Jesus, knowing within Himself that His disciples were complaining about His teaching, said to them, “Does this [teaching] bother you?
62 Then what if you were to see the Son of man going up [i.e., to heaven] where He was before?
63 It is the Holy Spirit who [Note: The Greek word here is “that” instead of “who”] gives life [i.e., understanding the spiritual nature of Jesus’ teaching can produce spiritual life]; the flesh is of no value [i.e., understanding Jesus’ teaching only in a physical sense makes it worthless]. The words I have spoken to you are [from the] Holy Spirit and [they give] life.