John 21

Jesus’ Third Appearance to the Disciples

1 After this, Jesus revealed a Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.
The Sea of Galilee; Sea of Tiberias is used only in John; Jn 6:1,23
,
c He revealed Himself in this way:

2 Simon Peter, d Thomas e (called “Twin”), Nathanael f from Cana of Galilee, g Zebedee’s h sons, and two others of His disciples were together.

3“I’m going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them.“We’re coming with you,” they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. i

4When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus. j

5 “Men,
Lit Children
Jesus called to them, “you don’t have any fish, do you?“No,” they answered.

6 “Cast the net on the right side of the boat,He told them, “and you’ll find some.” So they did,
Lit they cast
and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish.
7 Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” mWhen Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around him
Lit he girded his garment
(for he was stripped) and plunged into the sea.
8 But since they were not far from land (about 100 yards
Lit about 200 cubits
,
p away), the other disciples came in the boat, q dragging the net full of fish.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.

10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,Jesus told them. 11 So Simon Peter got up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish – 153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. r

12 “Come and have breakfast,Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.

14 This was now the third time
The other two are in Jn 20:19-29.
,
t Jesus appeared
Lit was revealed (v. 1)
,
v to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,
Other mss read Simon, son of Jonah; Mt 16:17; Jn 1:42
do you love
Two synonyms are translated love in this conversation: agapao, the first 2 times by Jesus (vv. 15-16); and phileo, the last time by Jesus (v. 17) and all 3 times by Peter (vv. 15-17). Peter’s threefold confession of love for Jesus corresponds to his earlier threefold denial of Jesus; Jn 18:15-18,25-27.
Me more than these?
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”“Feed y My lambs,z He told him.

16A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love aa Me?ab“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”“Shepherd ac My sheep,ad He told him.

17He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love ae Me?Peter was grieved af that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! ag You know that I love You.”“Feed ah My sheep,Jesus said. 18
I assure you: This is a phrase used only by Jesus to testify to the certainty and importance of His words; in Mt, Mk and Lk it is literally Amen, I say to you, and in Jn it is literally Amen, amen, I say to you.
I assure you: aj When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.
19He said this to signify by what kind of death ak he would glorify God.
Jesus predicts that Peter would be martyred. Church tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down.
,
am After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!an

Correcting a False Report

20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved ao following them. That disciple was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray You?” ap 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord – what about him?”

22 “If I want him to remain until I come,aq Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.

23 So this report
Lit this word
spread to the
brother(s): The Greek word adelphoi can be used as a reference to males only or to groups that include males and females. It is the context of each usage that determines the proper meaning.
brothers
The word brothers refers to the late first century Christian community.
,
au that this disciple would not die. av Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?

Epilogue

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books
Lit scroll
that would be written. ax
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