King James Bible
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
Jesus makes the first of seven "I am" statements in John, directly claiming to be the essential spiritual sustenance humanity needs. This follows the feeding of the 5,000, where the crowd sought more physical bread, but Jesus redirects them to himself as the true nourishment that gives eternal life. Coming to Jesus represents an active approach and acceptance of him as Messiah. The promise of never hungering indicates that Christ fully satisfies the soul's deepest spiritual needs, unlike physical bread which only temporarily satisfies. Believing parallels coming, emphasizing faith as the means of receiving Christ's life-giving provision. The dual metaphors of hunger and thirst encompass all human spiritual needs, echoing Old Testament imagery where God satisfies his people completely.