Jesus’s Threefold Restoration of Peter

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,[a] do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Feed my lambs,” he told him. 16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love(A) me?”(B)

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Shepherd(C) my sheep,”(D) he told him.

17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love(E) me?”

Peter was grieved(F) that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything;(G) you know that I love you.”

“Feed(H) my sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “Truly I tell you,(I) when you were younger, 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.” 19 He said this to indicate by what kind of death(J) Peter would glorify God.(K) After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”(L)

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Footnotes

  1. 21:15–17 Other mss read “Simon, son of Jonah; Mt 16:17; Jn 1:42

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”(A)

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”(B)

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”(C)

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”(D) He said, “Lord, you know all things;(E) you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.(F) 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death(G) by which Peter would glorify God.(H) Then he said to him, “Follow me!”(I)

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