Bible Reading Plan

John 21

Chapter 21

Jesus' Third Appearance to the Disciples

¹ After this, Jesus revealed^(a) Himself again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.^[a](b) He revealed Himself in this way:

² Simon Peter,^(c) Thomas^(d) (called "Twin"), Nathanael^(e) from Cana of Galilee,^(f) Zebedee's^(g) sons, and two others of His disciples were together.

³ "I'm going fishing," Simon Peter said to them.

"We're coming with you," they told him. They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.^(h)

⁴ When daybreak came, Jesus stood on the shore. However, the disciples did not know it was Jesus.⁽ⁱ⁾

⁵ "Men," ^[b] Jesus called to them, "you don't have any fish, do you?"

"No," they answered.

⁶ "Cast the net on the right side of the boat," He told them, "and you'll find some." So they did,^[c] and they were unable to haul it in because of the large number of fish. ⁷ Therefore the disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"^(j)

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around him^[d] (for he was stripped) and plunged into the sea. ⁸ But since they were not far from land (about 100 yards^[e](k) away), the other disciples came in the boat,^(l) dragging the net full of fish. ⁹ When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread.

¹⁰ "Bring some of the fish you've just caught," Jesus told them. ¹¹ So Simon Peter got up and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish—153 of them. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.^(m)

¹² "Come and have breakfast," Jesus told them. None of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish.

¹⁴ This was now the third time^[f](n) Jesus appeared^[g](o) to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

Jesus' Threefold Restoration of Peter

¹⁵ When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John,^[h] do you love^[i] Me more than these?"

"Yes, Lord," he said to Him, "You know that I love You."

"Feed^(p) My lambs," ^(q) He told him.

¹⁶ A second time He asked him, "Simon, son of John, do you love^(r) Me?" ^(s)

"Yes, Lord," he said to Him, "You know that I love You."

"Shepherd^(t) My sheep," ^(u) He told him.

¹⁷ He asked him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love^(v) Me?"

Peter was grieved^(w) that He asked him the third time, "Do you love Me?" He said, "Lord, You know everything!^(x) You know that I love You."

"Feed^(y) My sheep," Jesus said. ¹⁸ "I assure you:^(z) When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don't want to go." ¹⁹ He said this to signify by what kind of death^(aa) he would glorify God.^[j](ab) After saying this, He told him, "Follow Me!" ^(ac)

Correcting a False Report

²⁰ So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved^(ad) following them. That disciple was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, "Lord, who is the one that's going to betray You?"^{(ae) 21} When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord—what about him?"

²² "If I want him to remain until I come," ^(af) Jesus answered, "what is that to you? As for you, follow Me."

²³ So this report^[k] spread to the brothers^[l](ag) that this disciple would not die.^(ah) Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"

Epilogue

²⁴ This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

²⁵ And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books^[m] that would be written.^(ai)