No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus reveals that our ability to come to Him isn't about our own willpower, but about the Father's active "drawing." This isn't a forceful compulsion, but a powerful, loving influence that makes us want to come to Jesus, assuring us that those who are drawn will be raised up on the last day.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just claimed to be the bread of life that came down from heaven, but the Jewish crowd is grumbling because they know his earthly parents. Jesus rebukes their murmuring and explains that true belief isn't a matter of human effort or intellect, but a divine drawing by the Father. He assures them that those the Father draws will be raised to eternal life.
Ever feel like you're fighting to believe or to follow God? This verse addresses that struggle, clarifying why some come to Jesus and others don't.
Jesus states, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." This 'drawing' isn't about God forcing people against their will. Think of it like a powerful, loving invitation.
Coming to Jesus isn't just about this life; it's about eternity. What promise solidifies the hope of every believer?
The verse doesn't stop with the call to come. It concludes with an incredible promise: "And I will raise him up on the last day."
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Understand the original words
helkyō · Greek Verb
Used here in the sense of the irresistible, enabling power of God the Father by which He draws sinners to faith in the Son; it implies a divine initiative that precedes human response.
eschatē hēmera · Greek Noun phrase
Refers to the final judgment and the culmination of history, where the dead in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life.
This verse addresses the core issue of belief and divine initiative, spoken in the context of Jesus' ministry where many were confused or rejected his challenging teachings. It wasn't a formal historical event like a battle, but a pivotal moment in his interaction with crowds and disciples grappling with his identity.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus conducted a significant portion of his public ministry in Galilee, teaching, healing, and gathering followers, including the events leading up to the feeding of the 5,000 and the subsequent discourse in John 6.
c. 30 AD
Feeding of the 5,000
Jesus miraculously fed thousands of people, an event that caused many to seek him out, but also led to misunderstandings about his identity and mission, prompting his discourse in John 6.
c. 30 AD
Disciples' Confusion and Departure
Following the discourse on the Bread of Life, many of Jesus' disciples found his teaching too difficult and 'turned back and no longer walked with him,' highlighting the challenging nature of his message.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Questions the Twelve
Jesus then turns to his inner circle, asking the twelve disciples, 'Do you also wish to go away?' Peter's confession affirms their belief in Jesus' divine origin.
This passage speaks of God circumcising the hearts of His people, enabling them to love Him and live, echoing the idea that God's internal work is what makes true obedience possible.
Psalm 110:3This Psalm describes God's people coming to Him willingly in the day of His power, which aligns with Jesus' teaching that coming to Him is a result of the Father's drawing, not mere human effort.
Jeremiah 31:3Here, God declares, 'I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you,' demonstrating the foundational love that precedes and motivates His 'drawing' of His people to Himself, as mentioned in John 6:44.
1 Corinthians 2:14This verse states that the natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, highlighting the necessity of a divine 'drawing' or enablement for someone to truly come to Christ and understand spiritual truth.
Philippians 1:29This passage says, 'For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,' underscoring that even the ability to believe is a gift granted by God, a concept inherent in the Father's drawing.
barnesJohn 6:44: "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day."
No man can come to me - This was spoken by Jesus to reprove their complaints - "Murmur not among yourselves." They objected to his doctrine, or complained against it, because he claimed to be greater than Moses, and because they supposed him to be a mere man, and that what he said was impossible. Jesus does not deny that these things appeared difficult, and hence he said t…
calvinJohn 6:41-45: "The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven."
- The Jews therefore murmured concerning him, because he said, I am the bread which have come down from heaven. 42. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How therefore doth he say, I have come down from heaven? 43. Jesus therefore answered, and said to them, Murmur not among yourselves. 44. No man can come to me, unless the Father, who hat…
Jesus reveals that our ability to come to Him isn't about our own willpower, but about the Father's active "drawing." This isn't a forceful compulsion, but a powerful, loving influence that makes us want to come to Jesus, assuring us that those who are drawn will be raised up on the last day.
Jesus has just claimed to be the bread of life that came down from heaven, but the Jewish crowd is grumbling because they know his earthly parents. Jesus rebukes their murmuring and explains that true belief isn't a matter of human effort or intellect, but a divine drawing by the Father. He assures them that those the Father draws will be raised to eternal life.
Jesus has just claimed to be the bread of life that came down from heaven, but the Jewish crowd is grumbling because they know his earthly parents. Jesus rebukes their murmuring and explains that true belief isn't a matter of human effort or intellect, but a divine drawing by the Father. He assures them that those the Father draws will be raised to eternal life.
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day." — Jesus reveals that our ability to come to Him isn't about our own willpower, but about the Father's active "drawing." This isn't a forceful compulsion, but a powerful, loving influence that makes us…
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Last reviewed October 2026