Jesus Appears at the Sea of Galilee

21 After these things Jesus [a](A)revealed Himself (B)again to the disciples at the (C)Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself in this way: Simon Peter, (D)Thomas who was called [b]Didymus, (E)Nathanael of (F)Cana in Galilee, (G)the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter *said to them, “I am going fishing.” They *said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and (H)that night they caught nothing.

But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not (I)know that it was Jesus. So Jesus *said to them, “Children, (J)you do not have any fish to eat, do you?” They answered Him, “No.” And He said to them, (K)Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find the fish.” So they cast it, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish. (L)Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved *said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about [c]two hundred cubits away, dragging the net full of fish.

So when they got out on the land, they *saw a charcoal (M)fire already [d]made and (N)fish placed on it, and bread. 10 Jesus *said to them, “Bring some of the (O)fish which you have now caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went up and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus Provides

12 Jesus *said to them, “Come and have (P)breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to inquire of Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus *came and *took (Q)the bread and *gave it to them, and the (R)fish likewise. 14 This was now the (S)third time that Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.

The Love Question

15 Now when they had (T)finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you [e](U)love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [f]love You.” He *said to him, “Tend (V)My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you [g]love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [h]love You.” He *said to him, (W)Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you [i]love Me?” Peter was [j]hurt because He said to him (X)the third time, “Do you [k]love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, (Y)You know all things; You know that I [l]love You.” Jesus *said to him, (Z)Tend My sheep.

Our Times Are in His Hand

18 Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.” 19 Now He said this, (AA)indicating by (AB)what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He *said to him, (AC)Follow Me!”

20 Peter turned around and *saw the (AD)disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who also had (AE)leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?” 21 So Peter, upon seeing him, *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain (AF)until I come, what is that to you? You (AG)follow Me!” 23 Therefore this [m]account went out among (AH)the brothers, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain (AI)until I come, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who (AJ)is testifying about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

25 But there are also (AK)many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

Footnotes

  1. John 21:1 Or made Himself visible
  2. John 21:2 I.e., the Twin
  3. John 21:8 About 100 yd. or 90 m; a cubit is about 18 in. or 45 cm
  4. John 21:9 Lit laid
  5. John 21:15 Gr agapao
  6. John 21:15 Gr phileo
  7. John 21:16 Gr agapao
  8. John 21:16 Gr phileo
  9. John 21:17 Gr phileo
  10. John 21:17 Or distressed
  11. John 21:17 Gr phileo
  12. John 21:17 Gr phileo
  13. John 21:23 Lit word

Jesus Appears to Seven of His Disciples

21 Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. This is what happened: Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin),[a] Nathaniel from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two of his other disciples were together. Simon Peter told them, “I’m going fishing.”

They all told him, “We’ll go with you, too.” So they went out and got into the boat but didn’t catch a thing that night.

Just as dawn was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. Jesus asked them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?”

They answered him, “No.”

He told them, “Throw the net on the right hand side of the boat, and you’ll catch[b] some.” So they threw it out and were unable to haul it in because it was so full of fish.

That disciple whom Jesus kept loving told Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his clothes back on, because he was practically naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were only about 200 cubits[c] away from the shore.

When they arrived at the shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish lying on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus told them, “Bring me some of the fish you’ve just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish—153 of them. And although there were so many of them, the net was not torn.

12 Then Jesus told them, “Come, have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”, because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus took the bread, gave it to them, and did[d] the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after he had been raised from the dead.

Jesus Speaks with Peter

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

Peter[e] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus[f] told him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Then he asked him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter[g] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus[h] told him, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 He asked him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” So he told him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!”

Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep. 18 “Truly, I tell you[i] emphatically, when you were young, you would fasten your belt and go wherever you liked. But when you get old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten your belt and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Now he said this to show by what kind of death he would glorify God.

After saying this, Jesus[j] told him, “Keep following me.”

Jesus and the Beloved Disciple

20 Peter turned around and noticed the disciple whom Jesus kept loving following them. He was the one who had put his head on Jesus’ chest at the supper and had asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”

21 When Peter saw him, he said, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus told him, “If it’s my will for him to remain until I come back, how does that concern you? You must keep following me!” 23 So the rumor spread among the brothers[k] that this disciple wasn’t going to die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to Peter[l] that he wasn’t going to die, but, “If it’s my will for him to remain until I come back, how does that concern you?”

24 This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Of course, Jesus also did many other things, and I suppose that if every one of them were written down, the world couldn’t contain the books that would be written.

Footnotes

  1. John 21:2 Lit. Didymus
  2. John 21:6 Lit. find
  3. John 21:8 I.e. about 100 yards; a cubit was about eighteen inches
  4. John 21:13 The Gk. lacks did
  5. John 21:15 Lit. He
  6. John 21:15 Lit. He
  7. John 21:16 Lit. He
  8. John 21:16 Lit. He
  9. John 21:18 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  10. John 21:19 Lit. he
  11. John 21:23 I.e. Jesus’ followers
  12. John 21:23 Lit. him