Correcting a False Report

20 So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved(A) 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?”(B) 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord—what about him?”

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

23 So this report[a] spread to the brothers[b](D) that this disciple would not die.(E) 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[c] that would be written.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. John 21:23 Lit this word
  2. John 21:23 The word brothers refers to the late first century Christian community.
  3. John 21:25 Lit scroll

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved(A) was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)(B) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return,(C) what is that to you? You must follow me.”(D) 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers(E) that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

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

25 Jesus did many other things as well.(H) If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

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