King James Bible
"They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?"
The crowd responds to Jesus' teaching about believing in the one God sent, continuing the dialogue after the feeding of the 5,000. Their approach is direct and challenging, indicating skepticism despite having just witnessed a miracle. They demand a miraculous sign as proof of Jesus' authority, ironically after experiencing the multiplication of loaves. This echoes the wilderness generation's pattern of requiring repeated signs from Moses, revealing their spiritual blindness and conditional faith. The repetitive question emphasizes their focus on spectacular works rather than recognizing Jesus' identity. They seek ongoing miraculous provisions, missing that the true 'work' is believing in Christ himself as the bread of life.