John 21
International Children’s Bible
Jesus Appears to Seven Followers
21 Later, Jesus showed himself to his followers by Lake Galilee.[a] This is how it happened: 2 Some of the followers were together. They were Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the two sons of Zebedee, and two other followers. 3 Simon Peter said, “I am going out to fish.”
The other followers said, “We will go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat. They fished that night but caught nothing.
4 Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore. But the followers did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then he said to them, “Friends, have you caught any fish?”
They answered, “No.”
6 He said, “Throw your net into the water on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they did this. They caught so many fish that they could not pull the net back into the boat.
7 The follower whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard him say this, he wrapped his coat around himself. (Peter had taken his clothes off.) Then he jumped into the water. 8 The other followers went to shore in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were not very far from shore, only about 100 yards. 9 When the followers stepped out of the boat and onto the shore, they saw a fire of hot coals. There were fish on the fire, and there was bread.
10 Then Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish that you caught.”
11 Simon Peter went into the boat and pulled the net to the shore. It was full of big fish. There were 153. Even though there were so many, the net did not tear. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the followers dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them. He also gave them the fish.
14 This was now the third time Jesus showed himself to his followers after he was raised from death.
Jesus Talks to Peter
15 When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John do you love me more than these?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my lambs.”
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.”
17 A third time he said, “Simon son of John do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!”
He said to him, “Take care of my sheep. 18 I tell you the truth. When you were younger, you tied your own belt and went where you wanted. But when you are old, you will put out your hands and someone else will tie them. They will take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 (Jesus said this to show how Peter would die to give glory to God.) Then Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!”
20 Peter turned and saw that the follower Jesus loved was walking behind them. (This was the follower who had leaned against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who will turn against you?”) 21 When Peter saw him behind them he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
22 Jesus answered, “Perhaps I want him to live until I come back. That should not be important to you. You follow me!”
23 So a story spread among the brothers that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die. He only said, “Perhaps I want him to live until I come back. That should not be important to you.”
24 That follower is the one who is telling these things. He is the one who has now written them down. We know that what he says is true.
25 There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I think the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.
Footnotes
- 21:1 Lake Galilee Literally, “Sea of Tiberias.”
John 21
World English Bible
21 After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,[a] Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”
They told him, “We are also coming with you.” They immediately went out and entered into the boat. That night, they caught nothing. 4 But when day had already come, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus therefore said to them, “Children, have you anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
6 He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish. 7 That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits[b] away), dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, with fish and bread laid on it. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of one hundred fifty-three great fish. Even though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast!”
None of the disciples dared inquire of him, “Who are you?” knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples after he had risen from the dead. 15 So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”
He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?”
He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?”
Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you don’t want to go.”
19 Now he said this, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. When he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
20 Then Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ chest at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”
22 Jesus said to him, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” 23 This saying therefore went out among the brothers[c] that this disciple wouldn’t die. Yet Jesus didn’t say to him that he wouldn’t die, but, “If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you?”
24 This is the disciple who testifies about these things, and wrote these things. We know that his witness is true. 25 There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they would all be written, I suppose that even the world itself wouldn’t have room for the books that would be written.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.