John 21:15-19
English Standard Version
Jesus and Peter
15 When they had (A)finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, (B)“Simon, (C)son of John, (D)do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed (E)my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, (F)“Tend (G)my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him (H)the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, (I)you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed (J)my sheep. 18 (K)Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, (L)you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show (M)by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, (N)“Follow me.”
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John 21:15-19
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter
15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,[a] do you love[b] Me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Feed(A) My lambs,”(B) He told him.
16 A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love(C) Me?”(D)
“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”
“Shepherd(E) My sheep,”(F) He told him.
17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love(G) Me?”
Peter was grieved(H) that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything!(I) You know that I love You.”
“Feed(J) My sheep,” Jesus said. 18 “I assure you:(K) When you were young, 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 signify by what kind of death(L) he would glorify God.[c](M) After saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!”(N)
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- John 21:15 Other mss read Simon, son of Jonah; Mt 16:17; Jn 1:42
- John 21:15 Two synonyms are translated love in this conversation: agapao, the first 2 times by Jesus (vv. 15-16); and phileo, the last time by Jesus (v. 17) and all 3 times by Peter (vv. 15-17). Peter’s threefold confession of love for Jesus corresponds to his earlier threefold denial of Jesus; Jn 18:15-18,25-27.
- John 21:19 Jesus predicts that Peter would be martyred. Church tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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