Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
When the crowd asks, "What must we do to do the works of God?" they're not looking for a new spiritual to-do list; they're asking how to earn God's approval, imagining a set of religious actions that will secure their place with Him. Jesus redirects them from the idea of performing many works to focus on one singular work that God truly requires: believing in Him.
Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus had just fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, and now the crowd is seeking him out again. They press him to explain what they must do to perform God's will, especially since Jesus warned them not to labor for perishable food but for sustenance that lasts eternally.
When the crowd asks Jesus what they must do to please God, they're thinking about a whole list of religious activities. But Jesus cuts through the noise with a surprising answer.
The people, hearing Jesus talk about 'laboring for food that endures to eternal life,' naturally thought about the 'works of God' as a collection of religious duties they could perform. They were accustomed to a system where obeying rules and performing specific actions were the way to gain God's favor.
Jesus, however, reframes their question entirely. Instead of a long list of 'works' (plural), He points to one singular 'work' (singular): faith in Him. This isn't about earning God's approval through strenuous effort or by following a checklist. It's about a foundational trust and reliance on who Jesus is and what He has done.
Think of it like this: all the specific religious actions they might have imagined doing are like branches of a tree. Jesus says the root of all those valid branches is faith in Him. Without that root, the branches, no matter how impressive they look, won't bear the fruit God desires.
Why does Jesus focus so intensely on belief? What makes this 'work of faith' so central to everything else?
Jesus points to faith as the singular work God requires because it's the fundamental act that connects us to Him and His saving power.
Ask a follow-up
Jesus isn't dismissing the importance of good deeds, but He's making it clear that genuine good works flow out of a believing heart, not into it as a means of achieving righteousness.
Understand the original words
ergon · Greek Noun
In this context, specific deeds or religious accomplishments. Theologically, it refers to the actions that fulfill God's requirements or demonstrate obedience to His will.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
To place trust in, rely upon, and commit oneself to another. In the New Testament, it is the fundamental response of faith that unites a person with Christ, involving both mental assent and heartfelt dependence.
apostellō · Greek Verb
Refers to God's act of commissioning and dispatching His Son into the world to accomplish the work of salvation. It emphasizes Jesus' origin, authority, and mission as the Savior.
This question arises directly after Jesus miraculously fed thousands and then taught them about 'spiritual food' that endures for eternal life. The crowd, having just experienced a physical miracle and hearing Jesus' challenging words, are trying to understand what 'works' God requires of them in light of His teachings, moving beyond simple physical sustenance.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus is actively teaching, performing miracles like the feeding of the 5,000, and drawing large crowds across Galilee. His ministry is gaining significant momentum and public attention.
c. AD 30
Feeding of the 5,000
Jesus miraculously feeds a vast crowd, leading many to seek Him out, partly due to the abundance of food and the awe of the miracle.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Discourse on the Bread of Life
Following the feeding miracle, Jesus delivers a profound teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum, emphasizing that true sustenance comes from believing in Him as the Son of God.
This passage sets the expectation for a prophet like Moses, whom God would raise up and to whom the people should listen. The crowd in John 6 is essentially asking how to properly listen and respond to God's messenger, Jesus.
1 Samuel 12:14This verse speaks about fearing God and serving Him wholeheartedly, implying that obedience and devotion are the 'works' God desires. The people's question in John 6 reflects a similar desire to know the right way to honor God through action.
Micah 6:8Micah famously declares what the Lord requires: to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. This passage clarifies that 'doing the works of God' is not about ritualistic performance but about a transformed heart and life, echoing Jesus' own emphasis on faith as the foundational work.
Acts 16:30-31When the Philippian jailer asks, 'What must I do to be saved?', the answer is directly given: 'Believe in the Lord Jesus'. This mirrors the crowd's question and Jesus' response in John 6, highlighting faith as the essential 'work' for salvation.
bensonJohn 6:28: "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"
John 6:28-29 . Then said they — Desiring to appear willing to receive his instructions, as well as his bounties; What shall we do that we may work the works of God? — Works pleasing to God, so as to secure his favour, and eternal life. Jesus answered, This is the work of God — The work most pleasing to God, and the foundation of all others; that ye believe on him whom he hath sent — That you acknowledge…
cambridgeJohn 6:28: "Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?"
28 . Then said they ] They said therefore . What shall we do, that we might work ] Better, what must we do that we may work . They see that His words have a moral meaning; they are to do works pleasing to God. But how to set about this?
When the crowd asks, "What must we do to do the works of God?" they're not looking for a new spiritual to-do list; they're asking how to earn God's approval, imagining a set of religious actions that will secure their place with Him. Jesus redirects them from the idea of performing many works to focus on one singular work that God truly requires: believing in Him.
Jesus had just fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, and now the crowd is seeking him out again. They press him to explain what they must do to perform God's will, especially since Jesus warned them not to labor for perishable food but for sustenance that lasts eternally.
Jesus had just fed thousands with a few loaves and fish, and now the crowd is seeking him out again. They press him to explain what they must do to perform God's will, especially since Jesus warned them not to labor for perishable food but for sustenance that lasts eternally.
"Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”" — When the crowd asks, "What must we do to do the works of God?" they're not looking for a new spiritual to-do list; they're asking how to earn God's approval, imagining a set of religious actions that…
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Last reviewed October 2026