The Holy Bible Verses

50 Bible Verses About Bread

Explore Bible verses about bread, from manna in the wilderness to Jesus as the "bread of life." Discover the spiritual nourishment God offers.

By The Editorial Team

Verses sourced from the World English Bible (public domain). Selection follows our editorial policy. Last reviewed 2026-04-23. See all sources.

Bread is a significant symbol in the Bible, representing both physical sustenance and spiritual nourishment. From God's provision of manna in the wilderness to Jesus declaring Himself as the "bread of life" in John 6:35, Scripture emphasizes bread as essential for life and a metaphor for divine sustenance and grace.

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”
— John 6:35 WEB

Bread is more than a staple food; it is a symbol deeply woven into biblical narrative. From the moment Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, bread emerged as a necessity obtained through labor and sweat (Genesis 3:19). This simple sustenance represents both the struggle and the blessing of life. Later, during the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, God provided manna, a miraculous bread from heaven, demonstrating His provision and care (Exodus 16:4). Each morning, the Israelites awoke to find this divine bread, a daily reminder of God’s unwavering faithfulness.

In the tabernacle, the presence of bread on the table signified God’s continual presence with His people (Exodus 25:30). Bread’s symbolic importance reaches its peak in the New Testament. Jesus declares Himself the “bread of life,” offering eternal sustenance to all who come to Him (John 6:35). This promise transforms bread from a simple food to a profound symbol of spiritual nourishment. As we explore these verses, we see how God uses bread to teach dependence, faith, and the eternal sustenance found in Christ.

50 verses

  1. 1

    “By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.””

  2. 2

    “Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.”

  3. 3

    “When the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they didn’t know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat.””

  4. 4

    “The house of Israel called its name Manna,“Manna” means “What is it?” and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.”

  5. 5

    “You shall set bread of the presence on the table before me always.”

  6. 6

    “and one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before Yahweh.”

  7. 7

    “He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.”

  8. 8

    “When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver your bread again by weight. You shall eat, and not be satisfied.”

  9. 9

    “and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and their meal offering, and their drink offerings.”

  10. 10

    “The people spoke against God, and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, and there is no water; and our soul loathes this disgusting bread.””

  11. 11

    “He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth.”

  12. 12

    “who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn’t know; that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end:”

  13. 13

    “The manna ceased on the next day, after they had eaten of the produce of the land. The children of Israel didn’t have manna any more; but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

  14. 14

    “At meal time Boaz said to her, “Come here, and eat some bread, and dip your morsel in the vinegar.” She sat beside the reapers, and they passed her parched grain, and she ate, and was satisfied, and left some of it.”

  15. 15

    “Now therefore what is under your hand? Please give me five loaves of bread in my hand, or whatever is available.””

  16. 16

    “So the priest gave him holy bread; for there was no bread there but the show bread that was taken from before Yahweh, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.”

  17. 17

    “All the people came to urge David to eat bread while it was yet day; but David swore, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread, or anything else, until the sun goes down.””

  18. 18

    “honey, butter, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David, and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty in the wilderness.””

  19. 19

    “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.”

  20. 20

    “A man from Baal Shalishah came, and brought the man of God some bread of the first fruits: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, “Give to the people, that they may eat.””

  21. 21

    “He gave to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.”

  22. 22

    “for the show bread also, and for the fine flour for a meal offering, whether of unleavened wafers, or of that which is baked in the pan, or of that which is soaked, and for all measurements of quantity and size;”

  23. 23

    “for the show bread, for the continual meal offering, for the continual burnt offering, for the Sabbaths, for the new moons, for the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God.”

  24. 24

    “Behold, as wild donkeys in the desert, they go out to their work, seeking diligently for food. The wilderness yields them bread for their children.”

  25. 25

    “As for the earth, out of it comes bread; Underneath it is turned up as it were by fire.”

  26. 26

    “So that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.”

  27. 27

    “Behold, he struck the rock, so that waters gushed out, and streams overflowed. Can he give bread also? Will he provide meat for his people?””

  28. 28

    “He rained down manna on them to eat, and gave them food from the sky.”

  29. 29

    “Man ate the bread of angels. He sent them food to the full.”

  30. 30

    “My heart is blighted like grass, and withered, for I forget to eat my bread.”

  31. 31

    “wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face to shine, and bread that strengthens man’s heart.”

  32. 33

    “Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in richness.”

  33. 34

    “Isn’t it to distribute your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor who are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you not hide yourself from your own flesh?”

  34. 35

    “All her people sigh. They seek bread. They have given their pleasant things for food to refresh their soul. “Look, Yahweh, and see; for I have become despised.””

  35. 36

    ““Take for yourself also wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel. Make bread of it. According to the number of the days that you will lie on your side, even three hundred ninety days, you shall eat of it.”

  36. 37

    “Then he said to me, “Behold, I have given you cow’s dung for man’s dung, and you shall prepare your bread on it.””

  37. 38

    “My bread also which I gave you, fine flour, oil, and honey, with which I fed you, you even set it before them for a pleasant aroma; and so it was,” says the Lord Yahweh.”

  38. 39

    “But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”Deuteronomy 8:3”

  39. 41

    “how he entered into God’s house, and ate the show bread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for those who were with him, but only for the priests?1 Samuel 21:3-6”

  40. 42

    “As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks forTR reads “blessed” instead of “gave thanks for” it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.””

  41. 43

    “His disciples answered him, “From where could one satisfy these people with bread here in a deserted place?””

  42. 44

    “Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’”Deuteronomy 8:3”

  43. 46

    “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.””

  44. 47

    “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will not be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”

  45. 49

    “Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.”

  46. 50

    “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, Manna is supernatural food, named after the Hebrew for “What is it?”. See Exodus 11:7-9. and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.”

For your week

Reflect

Consider how God provides for your needs, both physical and spiritual. Reflect on how Jesus, as the "bread of life," nourishes your soul and satisfies your deepest hunger.

Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for being our Provider. Help us to seek Jesus, the true bread of life, every day. Fill us with Your presence and satisfy our hearts.

Apply

This week, bake bread or share bread with someone. Use this act to reflect on God’s provision and the spiritual nourishment Jesus offers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does bread symbolize in the Bible?

In the Bible, bread symbolizes God's provision and sustenance. It represents physical nourishment, as seen in God's provision of manna to the Israelites (Exodus 16:15). Bread also signifies spiritual nourishment. Jesus as the "bread of life" highlights His role in providing eternal sustenance (John 6:35). Bread in the tabernacle (Exodus 25:30) symbolizes God's presence. Thus, bread is a powerful metaphor for God's care and presence in our lives.

What is the bread of life?

The "bread of life" refers to Jesus Christ, as stated in John 6:35. Jesus uses this metaphor to illustrate His role in meeting our spiritual needs. Just as bread sustains physical life, Jesus sustains spiritual life. He promises that whoever comes to Him will never hunger spiritually. This signifies the eternal life and satisfaction found in a relationship with Him. Believing in Jesus as the bread of life means trusting Him to fulfill our deepest spiritual desires.

What is daily bread?

Daily bread refers to the necessities of life that God provides each day. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to ask for "our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11). This request acknowledges our dependence on God for our everyday needs. It reflects trust in His provision for both physical and spiritual sustenance. The concept is rooted in the Israelites' daily gathering of manna, illustrating faith in God's continual provision (Exodus 16:4).

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