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 and Peter

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

Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Simon replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.”

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

Peter was sad that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” He replied, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 I assure you that when you were younger you tied your own belt and walked around wherever you wanted. When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will tie your belt and lead you where you don’t want to go.” 19 He said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me.”

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