John 21:15–25

Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter

¹⁵When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, ^jdo you love ^kMe more than these?”

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

“Feed ^lMy lambs,” ^mHe told him.

¹⁶A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love ⁿMe?” ^o

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

“Shepherd ^pMy sheep,” ^qHe told him.

¹⁷He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love ^rMe?”

Peter was grieved ^sthat He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! ^tYou know that I love You.”

“Feed ^uMy sheep,” Jesus said. ¹⁸“^•I assure you: ^vWhen 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.” ¹⁹He said this to signify by what kind of death ^whe would glorify God. ^xyAfter saying this, He told him, “Follow Me!” ^z

Correcting a False Report

²⁰So Peter turned around and saw the disciple Jesus loved ^afollowing 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?” ^b21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord—what about him?”

²²“If I want him to remain until I come,” ^cJesus answered, “what is that to you? As for you, follow Me.”

²³So this report ^dspread to the brothers ^efthat this disciple would not die. ^gYet 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

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

²⁵And 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 ^hthat would be written. ⁱ