1After this, Jesus appeared to his disciples again. It was by the Sea of Galilee. Here is what happened.2Simon Peter and Thomas, who was also called Didymus, were there together. Nathanael from Cana in Galilee and the sons of Zebedee were with them. So were two other disciples.3‘I’m going out to fish,’ Simon Peter told them. They said, ‘We’ll go with you.’ So they went out and got into the boat. That night they didn’t catch anything.4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore. But the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.5He called out to them, ‘Friends, don’t you have any fish?’ ‘No’, they answered.6He said, ‘Throw your net on the right side of the boat. There you will find some fish.’ When they did, they could not pull the net into the boat. There were too many fish in it.7Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Simon Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Peter heard that, he put his coat on. He had taken it off earlier. Then he jumped into the water.8The other disciples followed in the boat. They were towing the net full of fish. The shore was only about 100 metres away.9When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals. There were fish on it. There was also some bread.10Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’11So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat. He dragged the net to shore. It was full of large fish. There were 153 of them. But even with that many fish the net was not torn.12Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.13Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same thing with the fish.14This was the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus gives Peter his task
15When Jesus and the disciples had finished eating, Jesus spoke to Simon Peter. He asked, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he answered. ‘You know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my lambs.’16Again Jesus asked, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He answered, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Take care of my sheep.’17Jesus spoke to him a third time. He asked, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ He answered, ‘Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.’ Jesus said, ‘Feed my sheep.18What I’m about to tell you is true. When you were younger, you dressed yourself. You went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands. Someone else will dress you. Someone else will lead you where you do not want to go.’19Jesus said this to point out how Peter would die. His death would bring glory to God. Then Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me!’20Peter turned round. He saw that the disciple Jesus loved was following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper. He had said, ‘Lord, who is going to hand you over to your enemies?’21When Peter saw that disciple, he asked, ‘Lord, what will happen to him?’22Jesus answered, ‘Suppose I want him to remain alive until I return. What does that matter to you? You must follow me.’23Because of what Jesus said, a false report spread among the believers. The story was told that the disciple Jesus loved wouldn’t die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He only said, ‘Suppose I want him to remain alive until I return. What does that matter to you?’24This is the disciple who is a witness about these things. He also wrote them down. We know that what he says is true.25Jesus also did many other things. What if every one of them were written down? I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
John 21
English Standard Version
Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples
1After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. (Mr 16:12; Mr 16:14; Joh 6:1; Joh 7:4; Joh 20:19; Joh 20:26; Joh 21:14)2Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. (Mt 4:21; Lu 5:10; Joh 2:1; Joh 4:46; Joh 11:16)3Simon 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 that night they caught nothing. (Lu 5:5)4Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. (Joh 20:14)5Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” (Lu 24:41)6He 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. (Lu 5:4; Lu 5:6)7That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. (1Sa 19:24; Isa 20:2; Mic 1:8; Mt 14:29; Joh 13:4; Joh 13:23; Joh 21:18)8The 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[1] off.9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.”11So 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.12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. (Joh 4:27; Joh 21:15; Ac 10:41)13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. (Joh 21:9)14This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (Joh 20:19; Joh 20:26; Joh 21:1)
Jesus and Peter
15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (Isa 40:11; Mt 16:17; Mt 26:33; Mr 14:29; Lu 22:31; Joh 1:42; Joh 10:11; Joh 21:12)16He 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, “Tend my sheep.” (Joh 21:15; Ac 20:28; 1Pe 5:2; Re 7:17)17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. (Joh 2:25; Joh 13:38; Joh 21:16)18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you 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.” (Joh 13:36; Joh 21:7)19(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” (Mt 16:24; Joh 8:12; Joh 13:36; Joh 21:22; 2Pe 1:14)