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John · Free Bible Version

John 21 Free Bible Version

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  • Individual translator
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Critical text
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Dynamic (thought for thought)
  • 2018
  • CC BY-SA 4.0

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and Zebedee's sons, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I'm going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We'll come with you,” they replied. So they left and went out in the boat, but all night they caught nothing. 4 When dawn came Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples didn't know it was him. 5 Jesus called to them, “My friends, haven't you caught anything?” “No,” they replied. 6 “Throw the net out on the right side of the boat, and you'll find some,” he told them. So they threw out the net, and they weren't able to haul it in because it had so many fish. 7 The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It's the Lord.” When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put some clothes on because he was undressed, and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, pulling the net full of fish, because they were not far from the shore, only about a hundred yards. 9 Once they'd landed they saw a fire with fish cooking on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you've just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net full of fish ashore. There were 153 large fish, yet even so the net hadn't torn. 12 “Come and eat some breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples was brave enough to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus took the bread and gave it to them and the fish as well. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to the disciples after being raised from the dead. 15 After breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he replied, “you know I love you.” “Take care of my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16 “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” he asked for the second time. “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know I love you.” “Look after my sheep,” Jesus said to him. 17 “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” he asked a third time. Peter was hurt that Jesus had asked him for the third time if he loved him. “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you,” Peter told him. “Take care of my sheep,” said Jesus. 18 “I tell you the truth,” said Jesus, “when you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted. But when you're old, you'll hold out your hands and someone will dress you and take you where you don't want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to explain the kind of death by which he would glorify God. Then he said to Peter, “Follow me.” 20 As Peter turned round, he saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned over to Jesus during the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” 22 Jesus told him, “If I want him to remain alive here until I return, why is that your concern? You follow me!” 23 This is why the saying spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus didn't say to him that he wouldn't die, just that “If I want him to remain alive here until I return, why is that your concern?” 24 This disciple confirms what happened and wrote all this down. We know that what he says is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well, and if it all was written down, I doubt the whole world could hold all the books that would be written.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • Jonah

    Father of Simon Peter

    The father of Simon Peter, named Jonah in Matthew 16:17 and John in John 1:42 and 21:15.

    Cited in the guide: Matthew 16:17; John 1:42; John 21:15

Places

  • Sea of Galilee

    Today: Northern Israel

    This harp-shaped lake (~13 miles long) lies in the Jordan Rift Valley. Cool air dropping onto the warm water spawns sudden storms — the setting of several Gospel miracles.

    Cited in the guide: Matthew 4:18; Mark 4:39; John 21:1

Cross references (23)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 John 6:1; Matthew 28:16; John 6:23; Mark 16:7; John 20:19–29
  2. 2 Matthew 4:21–22; John 4:46; John 11:16; John 1:45–2:1; John 20:28
  3. 3 Luke 5:5; Matthew 4:18–20; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–9; Luke 5:10–11; 1 Thessalonians 2:9
  4. 4 John 20:14; Mark 16:12; Luke 24:15–16; Luke 24:31
  5. 5 Philippians 4:19; Philippians 4:11–13; Psalm 37:3; Luke 24:41–43; 1 John 2:13
  6. 6 Luke 5:4–7; Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4; John 2:5; Hebrews 2:6–9
  7. 7 John 13:23; John 21:24; Matthew 14:28–29; John 19:26; John 20:2
  8. 9 1 Kings 19:5–6; John 21:10; John 21:13; John 18:18
  9. 11 Luke 5:6–8; Acts 2:41
  10. 12 Acts 10:41; John 16:19; Luke 9:45; John 21:15; Genesis 32:29–30
  11. 13 John 21:9; Acts 10:41; Luke 24:42–43
  12. 14 John 20:26; John 20:19
  13. 15 1 John 4:19; Isaiah 40:11; Romans 15:1; 2 Corinthians 5:14–15; 1 Peter 1:8
  14. 16 Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Peter 2:25; Psalm 100:3; John 10:11–16
  15. 17 John 13:38; John 16:30; Mark 14:72; John 15:10; John 14:15
  16. 18 John 13:36; Acts 12:3–4; Acts 21:11
  17. 19 2 Peter 1:14; John 21:22; Matthew 10:38; Philippians 1:20; Mark 8:33–38
  18. 20 John 21:7; John 20:2; John 21:24; John 13:23–26
  19. 21 Luke 13:23–24; Acts 1:6–7; Matthew 24:3–4
  20. 22 Revelation 2:25; Revelation 3:11; Mark 9:1; Matthew 16:27–28; 1 Corinthians 4:5
  21. 23 Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 33:13; Daniel 4:35; Acts 1:15; Job 28:28
  22. 24 John 15:27; John 19:35; 1 John 1:1–2; 1 John 5:6; 3 John 12
  23. 25 Psalm 40:5; John 20:30–31; Psalm 71:15; Job 26:14; Hebrews 11:32

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Commentary 21:16 Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (Sermon XCVI)

    Ye have observed, beloved, that in to-day's lesson it was said by the Lord to Peter in a question, "Lovest thou Me?" To whom he answered, "Thou knowest, Lord, that I love thee." This was done a second, and a third time; and at each several reply, the Lord said, "Feed My lambs." To Peter did Christ commend His lambs …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)

  2. Commentary 21:12 Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John (Chapter XXI — 12-19)

    With this third manifestation of Himself by the Lord to His disciples after His resurrection, the Gospel of the blessed Apostle John is brought to a close, of which we have already lectured through the earlier part as we were able, on to the place where it is related that an hundred and fifty-three fishes were taken by the disciples …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)

  3. Commentary 21:15 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John (Homily LXXXVIII)

    There are indeed many other things which are able to give us boldness towards God, and to show us bright and approved, but that which most of all brings good will from on high, is tender care for our neighbor. Which therefore Christ requireth of Peter.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)

  4. Quotes verse 21:15–17 Augustine of Hippo, The City of God (Book XIV, Chapters 6–7)

    … from which we gather that, even when the Lord said "diligis," He used an equivalent for "amas." Peter, too, throughout used one word for the one thing, and the third time also replied, "Lord, Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love (amo) Thee." I have judged it right to mention this, because some are of opinion that charity …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)

  5. Quotes verse 21:16 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XLVI)

    "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." And to Peter again He said not, "If thou lovest me," "do miracles," but "feed my sheep." And whereas He everywhere distinguishes him with James and John above all the rest, for what, I pray thee, did He distinguish …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)