John 21
King James Version
21 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
John 21
New Catholic Bible
Epilogue
Chapter 21
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples.[a] 1 Some time later, Jesus once again revealed himself to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, in the following manner. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were gathered together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going out to fish.” The others replied, “We will go with you.” They set off and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Shortly after daybreak, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus called out, “Children, have you caught anything?” When they answered, “No,” 6 he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” They did so, and they were unable to haul the net on board because of the great number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard him say that it was the Lord, he wrapped his outer garment around him, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples came in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about one hundred yards.
9 When they came ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went on board and dragged the net ashore, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
12 Jesus then said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came forward, took the bread, and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after his resurrection from the dead.
15 Jesus and Peter.[b] When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Jesus said to him again, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
17 Jesus said to him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” “Lord,” he said to him, “you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
18 “Amen, amen, I say to you,
when you were young
you used to fasten your own belt
and you would go wherever you wished.
But when you grow old,
you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will put a belt around you
and take you where you do not wish to go.”
19 He said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
20 The Beloved Disciple.[c] Peter looked around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had asked, “Lord, who is it that will betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus replied, “If it should be my will that he remain until I come, how does that concern you? Follow me!”
23 The saying then spread among the brethren that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus had not said to Peter, “He will not die,” but, “If it should be my will that he remain until I come, how does that concern you?”
24 Signature of the Redactors.[d] This is the disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things that Jesus did; and if every one of them was recorded, I do not think the world itself could contain the books that would be written.
Footnotes
- John 21:1 This miraculous catch is the final “sign” given by Jesus. He does not reveal himself; he remains mysterious, but the true disciple is able to recognize him (see Jn 21:20).
- John 21:15 In this touching dialogue, Christ makes Peter a sign of his own perennial presence with his followers as their Good Shepherd (see ch. 10). Catholic tradition has seen in this passage the fulfillment of the promise made at Caesarea Philippi: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 16:17-19; see also Lk 22:31-32). The First Vatican Council made reference to vv. 15-17 in its definition that Jesus appointed Peter supreme shepherd and ruler over the whole flock.
- John 21:20 Peter will ultimately make the supreme sacrifice, but what will become of the beloved disciple of whom the fourth Gospel often speaks (Jn 13:23; 19:26-27; 20:2-10; see Jn 1:35-39; 18:15)? The first Christian generations still believed in the imminent return of Christ in glory (2 Thes 2), although they had not begun to experience the time of the Church. We no longer have the same preoccupation. However, the response made by Jesus still holds: what is important is to follow Christ faithfully.
- John 21:24 The faith of believers is a grace, but it goes back in history to those who were witnesses: those who saw the deeds and understood their meaning. Nonetheless, the life of Jesus goes beyond everything that can be written or said about him, even in a Gospel. Opening or closing the sacred writing, we are brought back to the encounter with Christ himself.
