Skip to the text

John · Majority Standard Bible

John 21 Majority Standard Bible

Leer en español
About MSB
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Majority (Byzantine) text
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Formal (word for word)
  • 2022
  • Public domain

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

1 Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and immediately got into the boat, but caught nothing that night. 4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus. 5 So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6 He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish. 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread. 10 Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. 12 “Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” 16 Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.” 20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?” 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true. 25 There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written. Amen.

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)