John 21:1-22

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples

1 After this Jesus 1revealed himself 2again to the disciples by 3the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.
2 Simon Peter, 4Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of 5Cana in Galilee, 6the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but 7that night they caught nothing.
4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples 8did not know that it was Jesus.
5 9Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They answered him, "No."
6 10He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.
7 That disciple 11whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, 12he put on his outer garment, for he was 13stripped for work, and 14threw himself into the sea.
8 The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards[a] off.
9 When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.
10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."
11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.
12 Jesus said to them, 15"Come and 16have breakfast." Now 17none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came and 18took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.
14 19This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

Jesus and Peter

15 When they had 20finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 21"Simon, 22son of John, 23do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed 24my 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, 25"Tend 26my 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 27the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, 28you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed 29my sheep.
18 30Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, 31you 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 32by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, 33"Follow me."

Jesus and the Beloved Apostle

20 Peter turned and saw 34the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, 35the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?"
21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"
22 Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain 36until 37I come, what is that to you? 38You follow me!"

Cross References 38

  • 1. ver. 14; [Mark 16:12, 14]; See John 7:4
  • 2. John 20:19, 26
  • 3. John 6:1
  • 4. See John 11:16
  • 5. John 2:1; John 4:46
  • 6. Matthew 4:21; Luke 5:10
  • 7. [Luke 5:5]
  • 8. John 20:14
  • 9. Luke 24:41
  • 10. [Luke 5:4, 6, 7]
  • 11. See John 13:23
  • 12. ver. 18; [John 13:4]
  • 13. 1 Samuel 19:24; Isaiah 20:2; Micah 1:8
  • 14. [Matthew 14:29]
  • 15. Acts 10:41
  • 16. ver. 15
  • 17. [John 4:27]
  • 18. ver. 9
  • 19. ver. 1; John 20:19, 26
  • 20. ver. 12
  • 21. [Matthew 16:17; Luke 22:31]
  • 22. John 1:42
  • 23. [Matthew 26:33; Mark 14:29]
  • 24. John 10:11-16; [Isaiah 40:11]
  • 25. Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; Revelation 7:17(Gk.)
  • 26. [See ver. 15 above]
  • 27. [John 13:38]
  • 28. See John 2:25
  • 29. ver. 16
  • 30. [John 13:36]
  • 31. ver. 7
  • 32. 2 Peter 1:14
  • 33. ver. 22; Matthew 16:24; [John 13:36]; See John 8:12
  • 34. ver. 7
  • 35. John 13:25
  • 36. Matthew 10:23; Matthew 16:28; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Corinthians 11:26; James 5:7; Revelation 2:25
  • 37. [John 14:3, 18, 28; Hebrews 10:37; Revelation 2:5, 16; Revelation 3:3, 11; Revelation 16:15; Revelation 22:7, 12, 20]; See Matthew 16:27
  • 38. ver. 19

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Greek two hundred cubits; a cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.