^21:19(Now Jesus⁴⁸ said this to indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter⁴⁹ was going to glorify God.)⁵⁰ After he said this, Jesus told Peter,⁵¹ “Follow me.”

Peter and the Disciple Jesus Loved

^21:20Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them.⁵² (This was the disciple⁵³ who had leaned back against Jesus’⁵⁴ chest at the meal and asked,⁵⁵ “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”)⁵⁶^21:21So when Peter saw him,⁵⁷ he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” ^21:22Jesus replied,⁵⁸ “If I want him to live⁵⁹ until I come back,⁶⁰ what concern is that of yours? You follow me!”

Read in Logos

John 21:22: Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

Footnotes

48 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
49 Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
50 This is a parenthetical note by the author. The phrase by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God almost certainly indicates martyrdom (cf. 1 Pet 4:16), and it may not predict anything more than that. But the parallelism of this phrase to similar phrases in John 12:33 and 18:32 which describe Jesus’ own death by crucifixion have led many to suggest that the picture Jesus is portraying for Peter looks not just at martyrdom but at death by crucifixion. This seems to be confirmed by the phrase you will stretch out your hands in the preceding verse. There is some evidence that the early church understood this and similar phrases (one of them in Isa 65:2) to refer to crucifixion (for a detailed discussion of the evidence see L. Morris, John [], 876, n. 52). Some have objected that if this phrase does indeed refer to crucifixion, the order within v. 18 is wrong, because the stretching out of the hands in crucifixion precedes the binding and leading where one does not wish to go. R. E. Brown (John [], 2:1108) sees this as a deliberate reversal of the normal order (hysteron proteron) intended to emphasize the stretching out of the hands. Another possible explanation for the unusual order is the Roman practice in crucifixions of tying the condemned prisoner’s arms to the crossbeam (patibulum) and forcing him to carry it to the place of execution (W. Bauer as cited by O. Cullmann in Peter: Disciple, Apostle, Martyr [], 88).
51 Grk “After he said this, he said to him”; the referents (first Jesus, second Peter) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
52 The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
53 The words “This was the disciple” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for clarity.
54 Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
55 Grk “and said.”
56 This is a parenthetical note by the author.
57 Grk “saw this one.”
58 Grk “Jesus said to him.”
59 Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly.
60 The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

(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.”

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is the one that’s going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

“If I want him to remain until I come,” Jesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

NLTNew Living Translation

Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

(Now he said this to indicate by what kind of death he would glorify God.) And after he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me!”

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them (who also leaned back on his chest at the dinner and said, “Lord, who is the one betraying you?”) So when he saw this one, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, but what about this one?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

KJV 1900King James Version

This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 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? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 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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