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 had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”(A) 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”(B) 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.(C) 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten 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 he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”(D)

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