John 6:15
New International Version
Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

New Living Translation
When Jesus saw that they were ready to force him to be their king, he slipped away into the hills by himself.

English Standard Version
Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore Jesus, having known that they are about to come and to seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain Himself alone.

King James Bible
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

New King James Version
Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.

New American Standard Bible
So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.

NASB 1995
So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

NASB 1977
Jesus therefore perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

Amplified Bible
Then Jesus, knowing that they were going to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountainside by Himself.

Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Therefore, when Jesus knew that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He withdrew again to the mountain by Himself.

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

Contemporary English Version
Jesus realized that they would try to force him to be their king. So he went up on a mountain, where he could be alone.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Jesus realized that the people intended to take him by force and make him king. So he returned to the mountain by himself.

Good News Translation
Jesus knew that they were about to come and seize him in order to make him king by force; so he went off again to the hills by himself.

International Standard Version
Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, withdrew again to the hillside by himself.

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew to a mountain by Himself.

NET Bible
Then Jesus, because he knew they were going to come and seize him by force to make him king, withdrew again up the mountainside alone.

New Heart 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.

Webster's Bible Translation
When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again to a mountain himself alone.

Weymouth New Testament
Perceiving, however, that they were about to come and carry Him off by force to make Him a king, Jesus withdrew again up the hill alone by Himself.

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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Jesus, therefore, having known that they are about to come, and to seize Him by force that they may make Him king, retired again to the mountain Himself alone.

Berean Literal Bible
Therefore Jesus, having known that they are about to come and to seize Him that they might make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain Himself alone.

Young's Literal Translation
Jesus, therefore, having known that they are about to come, and to take him by force that they may make him king, retired again to the mountain himself alone.

Smith's Literal Translation
Then Jesus having known that they were about to come and carry him of forcibly, that they might make him king, departed again to the mount alone.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus therefore, when he knew that they would come to take him by force, and make him king, fled again into the mountain himself alone.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, when he realized that they were going to come and take him away and make him king, Jesus fled back to the mountain, by himself alone.

New American Bible
Since Jesus knew that they were going to come and carry him off to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain alone.

New Revised Standard Version
When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But Jesus knew that they were ready to come and seize him to make him a king, so he departed to the mountain alone.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But Yeshua knew they were prepared to come seize him and make him King, and he withdrew to that mountain alone.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
Therefore, Jesus perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make him king, withdrew into the mountain himself alone.

Godbey New Testament
And Jesus knowing that they are about to come and take Him, that they may make Him king, departs again into the mountain Himself alone.

Haweis New Testament
Then Jesus, knowing their intention to come and to seize him by force, in order to make him king, retired again into the mountain by himself alone.

Mace New Testament
but Jesus perceiving they designed to come and take him by force to make him a king, retired again upon a mountain all alone.

Weymouth New Testament
Perceiving, however, that they were about to come and carry Him off by force to make Him a king, Jesus withdrew again up the hill alone by Himself.

Worrell New Testament
Jesus, therefore, perceiving that they were about to come and take Him by force, to make Him King, withdrew again into the mountain, Himself alone.

Worsley New Testament
Jesus therefore knowing that they would come, and take Him by force if possible, to make Him king, retired again to the mountain Himself alone.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
14When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed, they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself. 16When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,…

Cross References
Matthew 14:22-23
Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. / After He had dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone,

Mark 6:45-46
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. / After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.

Luke 4:42-44
At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place, and the crowds were looking for Him. They came to Him and tried to keep Him from leaving. / But Jesus told them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well, because that is why I was sent.” / And He continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea.

John 18:36
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world; if it were, My servants would fight to prevent My arrest by the Jews. But now My kingdom is not of this realm.”

John 19:15
At this, they shouted, “Away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” replied the chief priests.

Matthew 4:8-10
Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. / “All this I will give You,” he said, “if You will fall down and worship me.” / “Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’”

John 12:12-15
The next day the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. / They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting: “Hosanna!” “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the King of Israel!” / Finding a young donkey, Jesus sat on it, as it is written: ...

John 1:10-11
He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. / He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

John 5:41-44
I do not accept glory from men, / but I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you. / I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him. ...

John 7:3-6
So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing. / For no one who wants to be known publicly acts in secret. Since You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” / For even His own brothers did not believe in Him. ...

John 8:15
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

John 17:14-16
I have given them Your word and the world has hated them. For they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. / I am not asking that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. / They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

1 Samuel 8:5-7
“Look,” they said, “you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king to judge us like all the other nations.” / But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. / And the LORD said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.

1 Samuel 10:19
But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your troubles and afflictions, and you have said to Him, ‘No, set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and clans.”

1 Samuel 12:12-13
But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king. / Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.


Treasury of Scripture

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

perceived.

John 2:24,25
But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, …

Hebrews 4:13
Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

take.

John 7:3,4
His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest…

John 12:12,13
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, …

Mark 11:9
And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

he departed.

John 5:41
I receive not honour from men.

John 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

Matthew 14:22
And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

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John 6
1. Jesus feeds five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes.
15. Thereupon the people would have made him king;
16. but withdrawing himself, he walks on the sea to his disciples;
26. reproves the people flocking after him, and all the fleshly hearers of his word;
32. declares himself to be the bread of life to believers.
66. Many disciples depart from him.
68. Peter confesses him.
70. Judas is a devil.














Aware that they intended
The Greek word for "aware" is "γινώσκω" (ginōskō), which implies a deep, intuitive knowledge. Jesus, in His divine omniscience, perceives the intentions of the crowd. This awareness is not merely observational but penetrates the heart's motives, reflecting His ability to discern beyond human understanding. This insight is consistent with His divine nature, as seen throughout the Gospels, where Jesus often perceives the thoughts and intentions of those around Him.

to come and make Him king by force
The phrase "make Him king by force" reveals the crowd's misunderstanding of Jesus' mission. The Greek word for "force" is "ἁρπάζω" (harpazō), which means to seize or snatch away. This reflects a political and earthly expectation of the Messiah, common among the Jews of that time, who anticipated a deliverer to free them from Roman oppression. Historically, this reflects the socio-political climate of first-century Judea, where messianic expectations were often tied to nationalistic hopes. The crowd's desire to forcefully crown Jesus as king underscores their failure to grasp the spiritual nature of His kingdom.

Jesus withdrew again
The Greek word "ἀνεχώρησεν" (anechōrēsen) means to withdraw or retreat. Jesus' withdrawal is a deliberate action, emphasizing His commitment to His divine mission rather than succumbing to popular demand. This act of retreat is a recurring theme in the Gospels, where Jesus often seeks solitude for prayer and communion with the Father, especially when faced with significant decisions or after performing miracles. It highlights His reliance on divine guidance rather than human acclaim.

to a mountain by Himself
Mountains in Scripture often symbolize places of revelation and divine encounter. The act of withdrawing to a mountain signifies a return to a place of solitude and prayer, reminiscent of Moses and Elijah, who also encountered God on mountains. This setting underscores the importance of solitude in Jesus' ministry, where He seeks the Father's will above all else. The phrase "by Himself" emphasizes His need for personal communion with God, setting an example of prioritizing spiritual renewal and alignment with God's purposes over the allure of earthly power and recognition.

(15) When Jesus therefore perceived. . . .--St. John has told us of the effect of the sign on the multitude. He knows also the reason of Christ's retirement, while St. Matthew and St. Mark only state the fact that He retired to pray. They knew not that He wished to avoid that throng of people who thought of the Messiah as a temporal king, and would have borne Him with them to the great feast at the royal city. St. Luke does not contain this section, but comp. the question recorded by him in John 9:18 et seq., which grows immediately out of it.

A mountain.--Better, the mountain, or the hill-country (John 6:3). He withdrew again to the place where He was before.

Verse 15. - Jesus therefore knowing (having found, perceived (γνούς), by ominous movements in the crowd, or in any other way still more explicit) that they were about to come and by violence, or force, seize him in order that they might make him King. This movement was not an unnatural one. They were on the way to Jerusalem, and they were thirsting to throw off the yoke of Rome and of Herod, and probably indignant to the extreme with the "deep damnation" of John the Baptist's death. In such a frame, the display of power and resources which they had just witnessed pointed Jesus out as their popular idol, and encouraged the belief, which did not die out till it was quenched in blood. The bald suggestion would clash absolutely with the Lord's own plan, with the Father's design concerning him. It would seem that the disciples manifested great reluctance to leave Christ or the crowd; for both Matthew (Matthew 14:22) and Mark (Mark 6:45) imply that Jesus had to use special means to induce them to depart (ἠνὰγκασεν). He compelled them to do so. If we had nothing but the synoptic narrative to guide us, we might suppose that Jesus had difficulty in resisting the desire of the disciples to remain always at his side; or that the intensity of their affection was interfering too much with the need in which he felt of retirement and solitude. John's statement here illumines the language of the other Gospels. The disciples themselves were strongly moved by the passions of the thousands; they were sharing in the general enthusiasm. To quench such an unholy or unspiritual view of the true Prophet and King, the disciples must be separated from the crowd, and Christ had to overcome by some special utterance of his authority the reluctance of the twelve to embark in their ship. Having done this, and without their help, he sent the multitudes away. He withdrew, for the second time, to the mountain (cf. ver. 3), and this time himself alone. These occasional separations from the apostles were undoubtedly part of the discipline to which they were subjected. They were taught that, when he was no longer visible to them, he might still be spiritually present and able to succour them.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

Jesus,
Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2424: Of Hebrew origin; Jesus, the name of our Lord and two other Israelites.

realizing
γνοὺς (gnous)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1097: A prolonged form of a primary verb; to 'know' in a great variety of applications and with many implications.

that
ὅτι (hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

they were about
μέλλουσιν (mellousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 3195: A strengthened form of melo; to intend, i.e. Be about to be, do, or suffer something.

to come
ἔρχεσθαι (erchesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

make
ποιήσωσιν (poiēsōsin)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

Him
αὐτὸν (auton)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

king
βασιλέα (basilea)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 935: A king, ruler, but in some passages clearly to be translated: emperor. Probably from basis; a sovereign.

by force,
ἁρπάζειν (harpazein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 726: To seize, snatch, obtain by robbery. From a derivative of haireomai; to seize.

withdrew
ἀνεχώρησεν (anechōrēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 402: From ana and choreo; to retire.

again
πάλιν (palin)
Adverb
Strong's 3825: Probably from the same as pale; anew, i.e. back, once more, or furthermore or on the other hand.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

a mountain
ὄρος (oros)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3735: A mountain, hill. Probably from an obsolete oro; a mountain: -hill, mount(-ain).

by Himself.
αὐτὸς (autos)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.


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NT Gospels: John 6:15 Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about (Jhn Jo Jn)
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