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Peter’s Restoration and Commission

15 So when they had (A)finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you [a](B)love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [b]love You.” He *said to him, “Tend (C)My lambs.” 16 He *said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you [c]love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I [d]love You.” He *said to him, (D)Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you [e]love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him (E)the third time, “Do you [f]love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, (F)You know all things; You know that I [g]love You.” Jesus *said to him, (G)Tend My sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, (H)signifying by (I)what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He *said to him, (J)Follow Me!”

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Footnotes

  1. John 21:15 Gr agapao
  2. John 21:15 Gr phileo
  3. John 21:16 Gr agapao
  4. John 21:16 Gr phileo
  5. John 21:17 Gr phileo
  6. John 21:17 Gr phileo
  7. John 21:17 Gr phileo

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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Footnotes

  1. John 21:15 Other mss read Simon, son of Jonah; Mt 16:17; Jn 1:42
  2. 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.
  3. John 21:19 Jesus predicts that Peter would be martyred. Church tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down.