John 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed,

Spoken to
audience

The topic is bread and eternal life. The people ask how they can eat Jesus's flesh.

KJV

John 6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

NIV

John 6:55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.

LISTENERS HEARD

Because this body of mine Ameni is a dining and this blood of mine Ameni is wining.

MY TAKE

We are wining and dining on Jesus.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

The verse is a rhyme exactly like the English rhyme of "wining and dining."  Ever since the beginning of his response (John 6:53), Jesus having fun using comedic exaggeration in his response to those challenging him about eating "bread from heaven" in his body. This is the punchline, after which, he will get more serious on this topic.

The heart of this verse, from Christ's special use of words is the use of "meat." Jesus has used this word before to refer to his "job" in the way we talk about a job as a "meal ticket." His job is his meat. His body now becomes the "meat" of his job. More entertaining is the double entendre on the word "drink," which means both a beverage and a party at which beverages are consumed as we might say going on "drunk" but not so extreme. The "meat" of a job and the "drunk" of a party are contrasted in an entertaining way.

# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES
4
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "flesh" is not shown in the English translation.
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "indeed" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "blood" is not shown in the English translation.
  • OS -- Outdated Source -- The Greek word translated as "indeed" existed in the KJV Greek source but not the source we use today.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "flesh" is not shown in the English translation.
  • MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "blood" is not shown in the English translation.
EACH WORD of KJV

For  --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." 

my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

flesh -- The Greek word translated as "the flesh" means "flesh," "meat," and "the physical order of things" as opposed to the spiritual. In contrasting it with "spirit," he is making it clear that he has been using it in the later sense.

is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

meat -- This word means "meat", "pasture", "eating, "taste," and "flavor. It is from a verb meaning "eating" and "eating up." Jesus only uses this word six times, always in the sense of "eating."

indeed, -  (OS) In the source used by the KJV, this was the adverbial form, but in our current source, the noun is translated as "true" primarily means "unconcealed", based on the noun form, which means "what is not hidden."   It, therefore, means "so true," an accentuated form of true, with nothing hidden.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

blood -- "Blood" is the Greek word that means "blood," "bloodshed," and "kinship." Its common double meaning of bloodshed and kinship.

is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

drink  - -  "Drink" is from a noun which means "drinking", "drink", "beverage", "carousal," and "revelry."

indeed, -  (OS) In the source used by the KJV, this was the adverbial form, but in our current source, the noun is translated as "true" primarily means "unconcealed", based on the noun form, which means "what is not hidden."   It, therefore, means "so true," an accentuated form of true, with nothing hidden.

EACH WORD of NIV

For  --The word translated as "for" introduces a reason or explanation so "because" and, in questions, "why." However, since this word always appears in the second position, it is more like an aside remark like, "consequently" or "as a cause." 

my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more. 

flesh -- The Greek word translated as "the flesh" means "flesh," "meat," and "the physical order of things" as opposed to the spiritual. In contrasting it with "spirit," he is making it clear that he has been using it in the later sense.

is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

real  -  "Real" is usually translated as "true" primarily means "unconcealed", based on the noun form, which means "what is not hidden."   It, therefore, means "so true," an accentuated form of true, with nothing hidden.

food -- This word means "meat", "pasture", "eating, "taste," and "flavor. It is from a verb meaning "eating" and "eating up." Jesus only uses this word six times.

and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it is can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."

my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."  As a genitive object of a preposition, as here, it means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

missing "the"  -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.

blood -- "Blood" is the Greek word that means "blood," "bloodshed," and "kinship." Its common double meaning of bloodshed and kinship.

is -- The verb "is" here is the common form of "to be" in Greek. It means to have a certain characteristic or remain in a certain condition. It also equates terms or assigns characteristics.

real  -  "Real" is usually translated as "true" primarily means "unconcealed", based on the noun form, which means "what is not hidden."   It, therefore, means "so true," an accentuated form of true, with nothing hidden.

drink  - -  "Drink" is from a noun which means "drinking", "drink", "beverage", "carousal," and "revelry."

COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV

[821 verses](article sg fem nom)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

γὰρ [205 verses](partic) "For" comes from gar which is the introduction of a clause explaining a reason or explanation: "for," "since," and "as." In an abrupt question, it means "why" and "what."

σάρξ [19 verses](noun sg fem nom) "The flesh" is sarx, which means "flesh," "the body," "fleshy," "the pulp of fruit," "meat," and "the physical and natural order of things" (opposite of the spiritual or supernatural).

μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "Me" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

ἀληθής [7 verses](adj sg masc/fem nom) "Indeed" is from alethes, which means "unconcealed", "so true", "not forgetting", "careful," [of persons] "truthful" "honest," [of oracles] "true" "unerring," and [as adverb] "actually" "in reality,"

ἐστι [614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative.

βρῶσις [6 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Meat" is from brosis, which means "meat", "pasture", "eating, "taste," and "flavor." 

καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."

τὸ  [821 verses](article sg neut acc)  Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). 

αἷμα [12 verses](noun sg neut acc) "Blood" is haima, which means "blood," "streams of blood," "anything like blood," "spirit," "courage," "bloodshed," "murder," "blood relationship,"kin," and "kindship."

μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "Me" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else.

ἀληθής [7 verses](adj sg masc/fem nom) "True" is from alethes, which means "unconcealed", "so true", "not forgetting", "careful," [of persons] "truthful" "honest," [of oracles] "true" "unerring," and [as adverb] "actually" "in reality,"

ἐστι [614 verses](3rd sg pres ind act) "Is" is eimi, which means "to be," "to exist," "to be the case," of circumstance and events "to happen,"  and "is possible." With the genitive object, the sense is "belongs to." It can also mean "must" with a dative.

πόσις.   - [1 verse] (noun sg fem nom) "Drink" is from posis, which means "drinking", "drink", "beverage", "carousal," and "revelry."

Wordplay

 In Greek, the word used for meat (brosis) and the word for drink (posis) ryme. They also both have double meanings as used by Jesus. 

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