When it is said
Pray it when walking away from the faith feels easier than staying.
Peter said “we”, speaking for all the Twelve, so it can be prayed together with others too.
Where it comes from
Author known
When many walked away
In the synagogue at Capernaum, Jesus taught that whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood has eternal life (John 6:54-59). Many of His disciples called it a hard teaching (John 6:60). From then on many of them turned back and no longer walked with Him (John 6:66). Jesus asked the Twelve whether they wanted to leave too, and Simon Peter answered for them all.
A question, not an order
The preacher St John Chrysostom noticed that Jesus did not tell the Twelve to go. He asked them a question, because He wanted no one held to Him by force or by shame. Chrysostom heard love in Peter’s answer. Peter added “You have the words of eternal life” so that no one would think the Twelve stayed only because nobody else would take them in.
St John Chrysostom, Homily 47 on John, in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers
What the words mean
Two endings to Peter’s answer
The end of Peter’s answer comes down in two forms. The Greek printed with this prayer, the Church Slavonic Gospel and the King James Version end “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The Nestle-Aland edition of the Greek and the Berean Standard Bible end “You are the Holy One of God.” This prayer follows the first form.
The SBL Greek New Testament, with its notes, John 6; The Church Slavonic Gospel, John 6, on Azbyka
The Scripture in it
Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Bible text: Berean Standard Bible, public domain.
In Greek
Κύριε, πρὸς τίνα ἀπελευσόμεθα;
ῥήματα ζωῆς αἰωνίου ἔχεις.
καὶ ἡμεῖς πεπιστεύκαμεν καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν
ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος.