John 21:15–25

Peter Is Restored Three Times

¹⁵Now when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs!” ¹⁶He said to him again 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, “Shepherd my sheep!” ¹⁷He said to him a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed because he 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! ¹⁸Truly, truly I say to you, when you were young, you tied your clothes^* around yourself and walked wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will tie you up and carry you where you do not want to go.^{* 19}(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 and the Other Disciple Jesus Loved

²⁰Peter 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?”) ²¹So when he^* saw this one, Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, but what about this one?” ²²Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that^* to you? You follow me!” ²³So this saying went out to the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that^* to you?”

A Concluding Word of Testimony

²⁴This is the disciple who is testifying about these things, and who has written down these things. And we know that his testimony is true. ²⁵Now there are also many other things that Jesus did, which—if they were written down one after the other—I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.