John 21:15-25

When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these other men love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Then Jesus said to him, “Take care of my lambs.” Again Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Then Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” A third time Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was sad because Jesus asked him three times, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you!” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep. The truth is, when you were young, 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 your belt. They will lead you where you don’t want to go.” (Jesus said this to show how Peter would die to give glory to God.) Then he said to Peter, “Follow me!” Peter turned and saw the follower Jesus loved very much walking behind them. (This was the follower who had leaned against Jesus at the supper and said, “Lord, who is it that will hand you over?”) When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not matter to you. You follow me!” So a story spread among the followers of Jesus. They were saying that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He only said, “Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not matter to you.” That follower is the one who is telling these things. He is the one who has now written them all down. We know that what he says is true. There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I think the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.