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John 21

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After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

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There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

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Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

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But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

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Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

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And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

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Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

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And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.

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As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

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Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.

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Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.

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Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

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Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.

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This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

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So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

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He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

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He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

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Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

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This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

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Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

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Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

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Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

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Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

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This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

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And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

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John 21

The epilogue presents the miraculous catch of 153 large fish, a number rich with symbolic and perhaps gematrial significance, as the risen Jesus directs seven disciples (Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two unnamed disciples) who have returned to fishing after the crucifixion. The beloved disciple recognizes Jesus on the shore first, declaring "It is the Lord," and Peter, girding himself, plunges into the sea to reach Jesus, while the others drag ashore the net full of fish "and yet the net was not torn," suggesting the unity and integrity of the Church gathered by Christ. Jesus prepares a breakfast of bread and fish for the disciples, a scene of intimate fellowship and restoration that recalls the feeding narratives and establishes the risen Lord as the one who continues to provide and gather his people. The threefold restoration of Peter—"Do you love me more than these?" followed by Jesus' command "Feed my sheep"—remedies Peter's threefold denial and recalibrates his future role as shepherd of Jesus' flock, yet with significant wordplay distinguishing Jesus' agapao (highest love) from Peter's professed phileo (friendship-love). The prediction of Peter's death—"another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go"—foreshadows martyrdom as the ultimate expression of following Jesus and glorifying God. The chapter clarifies the fate of the beloved disciple with the enigmatic saying, "If I will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" creating a perpetual ambiguity about the beloved disciple's eschatological status. The Gospel concludes with final testimony: "This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true," establishing the beloved disciple as the authoritative witness and the Gospel itself as grounded in eyewitness testimony to the risen and ascended Christ.

John 21:13

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish — Jesus' action (coming, taking, giving) mirrors Eucharistic language and establishes him as the host and provider. The distribution of bread and fish recallsthe feeding miracles and suggests that resurrection fellowship involves the sustenance and sharing of life. The active verbs (took, gave) stress Jesus' agency and care.

John 21:1

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way — the transitional phrase 'after these things' (meta tauta) locates chapter 21 as supplement to the purpose statement ending chapter 20. The repeated 'showed himself' (ephanerose) emphasizes the revelatory nature of resurrection appearance; epiphany language underscores the transcendent reality breaking into ordinary history. The Sea of Tiberias (also Galilee) returns to the disciples' origins, suggesting restoration and reinstatement.

John 21:2

Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples — the list names five disciples and notes 'two others,' making seven total (a symbolically complete number). The specific naming (Thomas, Nathanael, Zebedee's sons) suggests eyewitness tradition; Nathanael's location (Cana) links resurrection to the Gospel's first sign-revelation. The seven comprise the nucleus of the believing community.

John 21:3

Simon 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; and that night they caught nothing — Peter's return to fishing suggests the disciples have reverted to their pre-calling occupations, indicating post-resurrection confusion about vocation. The night setting (similar to 20:19) suggests spiritual darkness or uncertainty. The catch of nothing mirrors human futility without Christ; the narrative sets up the miracle catch as restoration.

John 21:4

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus — the moment of Jesus' appearance (orthē, stood on beach) occurs at dawn, transitioning from night's unproductive darkness. The disciples' non-recognition (ouk idō hoti Jesus estin) parallels Mary's failure to recognize the risen Jesus; resurrection appearances require revelation, not mere visual perception. The beach setting (aiges, shore) creates spatial separation that heightens the dramatic encounter.

John 21:5

Jesus said to them, 'Children, you have no fish, have you?' They answered him, 'No' — Jesus addresses them as 'children' (paidia), a term of affectionate address affirming their dependent status. His question presupposes their failure and prepares them for the instruction that follows. The disciples' direct 'No' acknowledges futility and readies them for divine intervention.

John 21:6

He said to them, 'Cast the net to 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 there were so many fish — Jesus' command (precise direction to the 'right side') is immediately efficacious; obedience produces abundance. The net-full of fish echoes the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus' promise to make Peter 'fisher of men' (Matthew 4:19). The inability to haul (iskhuō, to have strength) the net emphasizes the miraculous abundance—human effort cannot contain divine blessing.

John 21:7

That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea — the beloved disciple's perception (theological intuition) recognizes Jesus before Peter does, maintaining the beloved disciple's spiritual superiority. Peter's hastiness (putting on clothes and jumping in) contrasts with the beloved disciple's contemplative discernment. The sea separates shore (Jesus' location, eschatological reality) from boat (the disciples' current state), and Peter bridges this gap through impulsive faith-movement.

John 21:8

But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, just a hundred yards off — the other disciples row slowly, securing the catch (a practice-oriented approach), while Peter swims. The specificity ('a hundred yards') indicates eyewitness detail and emphasizes proximity—the risen Jesus is near the disciples even before they recognize him. The image of disciples laboriously bringing the netful of fish suggests the missional work they will undertake.

John 21:9

When they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread — the charcoal fire (anthrakiē) appears nowhere else in the Gospels save John 18:18 (Peter's denial). This echo is theologically loaded: the same word describes the fire of Peter's warming himself during denial and now the fire of restoration and breakfast fellowship. The prepared fire (proetoimazo might be implied) suggests Jesus' forethought and care. The fish and bread anticipate Eucharistic imagery.

John 21:10

Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish that you have just caught' — Jesus' command integrates the disciples' labor (their caught fish) into his provision, suggesting that human work cooperates with divine provision. The directive is collaborative: Jesus provides bread already prepared and invites the disciples to contribute their catch to the common meal.

John 21:11

So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore full of 153 large fish; yet for all there were so many, the net was not torn — the specific number 153 has generated centuries of interpretation: gematria (Greek letters numerologically summing to 153), symbolic fullness of the eschaton, enumeration of fish species known to ancients, or the all-inclusive gathering of believers. The net's integrity despite the abundance suggests the church's unity maintained through great growth. This detail's precision suggests eyewitness testimony or symbolic theological coding.

John 21:12

Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, 'Who are you?' because they knew it was the Lord — Jesus' breakfast invitation (deipneō) is an act of gracious hospitality and restored communion. The disciples' fearful silence (ouk etolma eperōtaō, they dared not ask) and sure knowledge (oidate...hoti ho kyrios) indicates they recognize Jesus through his characteristic actions (command, provision, invitation) rather than through visual identification.

John 21:14

This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead — the enumeration (third appearance) affirms the reality and multiplicity of resurrection encounters. The three appearances (20:19-20, 20:26-27, 21:1-14) constitute a pattern of repeated revelation, contrasting with one-time eschatological appearance. This epilogue appearance is set in ordinary time/space (fishing, breakfast), grounding resurrection reality in everyday life.

John 21:15

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs' — Jesus uses Peter's birth name (Simon son of John) before his restored name, invoking his original identity before proceeding to restoration. The question 'more than these?' (more than the other disciples, or more than these fish/nets?) tests Peter's priority. Jesus' first query employs agapaō (divine love), and Peter responds with phileō (affectionate love). Many interpreters note this distinction (agape vs. philos, self-giving vs. affection), though the verbs may be stylistically variant.

John 21:16

He said to him the second time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Tend my sheep' — the second question omits 'more than these,' focusing directly on Peter's love relationship with Jesus. The repetition parallels Peter's three denials; each interrogation is a restoration step. The commissioning shifts from 'lambs' (young sheep, perhaps new converts) to 'sheep' (the full flock). Again Jesus uses agapaō; Peter responds with phileō.

John 21:17

He said to him the third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' And he said to him, 'Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep' — the threefold questioning inversely mirrors Peter's threefold denial, constituting restorative penance and reversal. Peter's hurt (lypeō, to grieve) suggests the painful grace of being questioned on his commitment. In this third iteration, Jesus shifts to phileō, meeting Peter at the level of affectionate love rather than demanding divine agape. Peter's response—'you know all things'—appeals to Jesus' omniscience, expressing surrender and trust rather than asserting his own capacity to love.

John 21:18

'Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go' — this prophecy presages Peter's martyrdom by crucifixion (later tradition: crucified upside down). The contrast between youthful autonomy ('go wherever you wished') and aged dependence (being led where he 'does not wish') indicates surrender to divine will through suffering. The 'stretching out of hands' imagery suggests cruciform death, the ultimate following of Jesus.

John 21:19

He said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After this he said to him, 'Follow me' — John's editorial comment explicitly interprets the prophecy as martyrdom through which Peter 'glorifies God' (doxazō, to magnify, honor). Jesus' final command 'Follow me' (akolouthoutheō) is the discipleship call that inaugurated Peter's vocation (John 1:43), now renewed as the way to resurrection and glory through cross.

John 21:20

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had asked, 'Lord, who is going to betray you?' — Peter's turning (strepho) to notice the beloved disciple shifts focus from Peter's restoration to the beloved disciple's presence. The description (reclining at supper, asking about betrayal) anchors the beloved disciple in the Last Supper narrative and identifies him as the narrative's primary insider-witness.

John 21:21

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, 'Lord, what about him?' — Peter's question about the beloved disciple's fate, following his own prediction of martyrdom, seeks parallel reassurance or explanation. The possessive 'what about him?' (ti de houtos?) suggests competitive concern—will the beloved disciple also suffer? This question moves the narrative beyond Peter's restoration to address the beloved disciple's significance.

John 21:22

Jesus said to him, 'If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me' — Jesus' conditional ('if I will') contemplates the beloved disciple remaining until the parousia, establishing the possibility of the church's continuance until Jesus' return. The rebuke ('what is that to you?') redirects Peter from comparative concern to personal obedience. The reiterated 'Follow me' emphasizes the discipline of singular devotion rather than anxious attention to others' paths.

John 21:23

So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die; but 'If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?' — John addresses a misreading of Jesus' saying that circulated in the community. The beloved disciple's death must have occurred; this note corrects eschatological expectation that his survival paralleled the church's continuation until parousia. The distinction (he said not 'he will not die' but conditional 'if I will he remain') separates Jesus' words from interpretive distortion.

John 21:24

This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true — John's final attribution identifies the beloved disciple as the Gospel's author-witness. The testimony (martyria) is eyewitness attestation grounded in intimate knowledge ('he reclined next to Jesus'). The corporate affirmation ('we know') suggests community endorsement of the beloved disciple's reliability and authority. This verse establishes apostolic authority for the Johannine tradition.

John 21:25

But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name — the Gospel's closing hyperbola (the world could not contain the books) emphasizes the inexhaustibility of Jesus' significance. The infinite surplus of his deeds suggests that no narrative can exhaust his meaning or contain his reality. This volta back to the purpose statement (echoing 20:31) reaffirms that John's Gospel is theological and evangelistic interpretation, not exhaustive chronicle, written to generate faith and eternal life.