John 21
21
Jesus Appears to Seven Followers
1Later, Jesus showed himself to his followers again—this time at Lake Galilee. This is how he showed himself: 2Some of the followers were together: Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the two sons of Zebedee, and two other followers. 3Simon Peter said, “I am going out to fish.”
The others said, “We will go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat. They fished that night but caught nothing.
4Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore, but the followers did not know it was Jesus. 5Then he said to them, “Friends, did you catch any fish?”
They answered, “No.”
6He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they did, and they caught so many fish they could not pull the net back into the boat.
7The follower whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Peter heard him say this, he wrapped his coat around himself. (Peter had taken his clothes off.) Then he jumped into the water. 8The other followers went to shore in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. They were not very far from shore, only about a hundred yards. 9When the followers stepped out of the boat and onto the shore, they saw a fire of hot coals. There were fish on the fire, and there was bread.
10Then Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
11Simon Peter went into the boat and pulled the net to the shore. It was full of big fish, one hundred fifty-three in all, but even though there were so many, the net did not tear. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the followers dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, along with the fish.
14This was now the third time Jesus showed himself to his followers after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus Talks to Peter
15When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16Again Jesus said, “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.”
17A third time he said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” Peter said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!”
He said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18I tell you the truth, when you were younger, you tied your own belt and went where you wanted. But when you are old, you will put out your hands and someone else will tie you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19(Jesus said this to show how Peter would die to give glory to God.) Then Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!”
20Peter turned and saw that the follower Jesus loved was walking behind them. (This was the follower who had leaned against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who will turn against you?”) 21When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
22Jesus answered, “If I want him to live until I come back, that is not your business. You follow me.”
23So a story spread among the followers that this one would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He only said, “If I want him to live until I come back, that is not your business.”
24That follower is the one who is telling these things and who has now written them down. We know that what he says is true.
25There are many other things Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I suppose the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.
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John 21: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
John 21
21
The Appearance to the Seven Disciples. 1#There are many non-Johannine peculiarities in this chapter, some suggesting Lucan Greek style; yet this passage is closer to John than Jn 7:53–8:11. There are many Johannine features as well. Its closest parallels in the synoptic gospels are found in Lk 5:1–11 and Mt 14:28–31. Perhaps the tradition was ultimately derived from John but preserved by some disciple other than the writer of the rest of the gospel. The appearances narrated seem to be independent of those in Jn 20. Even if a later addition, the chapter was added before publication of the gospel, for it appears in all manuscripts. After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.#Mt 26:32; 28:7. 2Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons,#Zebedee’s sons: the only reference to James and John in this gospel (but see note on Jn 1:37). Perhaps the phrase was originally a gloss to identify, among the five, the two others of his disciples. The anonymity of the latter phrase is more Johannine (Jn 1:35). The total of seven may suggest the community of the disciples in its fullness. and two others of his disciples. 3#This may be a variant of Luke’s account of the catch of fish; see note on Lk 5:1–11. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.#Mt 4:18; Lk 5:4–10. 4When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.#20:14; Mt 28:17; Lk 24:16. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.”#Lk 24:41. 6So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. 7So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. 8The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. 9#21:9, 12–13] It is strange that Jesus already has fish since none have yet been brought ashore. This meal may have had eucharistic significance for early Christians since Jn 21:13 recalls Jn 6:11 which uses the vocabulary of Jesus’ action at the Last Supper; but see also note on Mt 14:19. #Lk 24:41–43. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three#The exact number 153 is probably meant to have a symbolic meaning in relation to the apostles’ universal mission; Jerome claims that Greek zoologists catalogued 153 species of fish. Or 153 is the sum of the numbers from 1 to 17. Others invoke Ez 47:10. large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.#2 Chr 2:16. 12Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him,#None…dared to ask him: is Jesus’ appearance strange to them? Cf. Lk 24:16; Mk 16:12; Jn 20:14. The disciples do, however, recognize Jesus before the breaking of the bread (opposed to Lk 24:35). “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. 13Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.#Lk 24:42. 14#This verse connects Jn 20 and 21; cf. Jn 20:19, 26. This was now the third time#20:19, 26. Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter.#This section constitutes Peter’s rehabilitation and emphasizes his role in the church. 15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,#In these three verses there is a remarkable variety of synonyms: two different Greek verbs for love (see note on Jn 15:13); two verbs for feed/tend; two nouns for sheep; two verbs for know. But apparently there is no difference of meaning. The threefold confession of Peter is meant to counteract his earlier threefold denial (Jn 18:17, 25, 27). The First Vatican Council cited these verses in defining that Jesus after his resurrection gave Peter the jurisdiction of supreme shepherd and ruler over the whole flock. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”#More than these: probably “more than these disciples do” rather than “more than you love them” or “more than you love these things [fishing, etc.].” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16He then 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.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a 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.#13:37–38; 18:15–18, 25–27; Mt 26:69–75; Mk 14:66–72; Lk 22:55–62. 18#Originally probably a proverb about old age, now used as a figurative reference to the crucifixion of Peter. Amen, amen, I say to you,#Acts 21:11, 14; 2 Pt 1:14. when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”#13:36.
The Beloved Disciple. 20Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?”#13:25. 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come?#Until I come: a reference to the parousia. What concern is it of yours? You follow me.”#Mt 16:28. 23#This whole scene takes on more significance if the disciple is already dead. The death of the apostolic generation caused problems in the church because of a belief that Jesus was to have returned first. Loss of faith sometimes resulted; cf. 2 Pt 3:4. So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? [What concern is it of yours?]”
Conclusion. 24It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them,#Who…has written them: this does not necessarily mean he wrote them with his own hand. The same expression is used in Jn 19:22 of Pilate, who certainly would not have written the inscription himself. We know: i.e., the Christian community; cf. Jn 1:14, 16. and we know that his testimony is true.#19:35. 25There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.#20:30.
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