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15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?[a]

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

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[b] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

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Footnotes

  1. 21:15 Or more than these others do?
  2. 21:18 Some manuscripts read and another one.

Jesus Speaks with Peter

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

Peter[a] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus[b] told him, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Then he asked him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter[c] told him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

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

Peter was deeply hurt that he had asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” So he told him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!”

Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep. 18 “Truly, I tell you[e] emphatically, when you were young, you would fasten your belt and go wherever you liked. But when you get old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten your belt and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Now he said this to show by what kind of death he would glorify God.

After saying this, Jesus[f] told him, “Keep following me.”

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Footnotes

  1. John 21:15 Lit. He
  2. John 21:15 Lit. He
  3. John 21:16 Lit. He
  4. John 21:16 Lit. He
  5. John 21:18 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
  6. John 21:19 Lit. he