John 21:15–25

Jesus Reinstates Peter

¹⁵When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”^o

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”^p

¹⁶Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”^q

¹⁷The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”^r He said, “Lord, you know all things;^s you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.^{t 18}Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death^u by which Peter would glorify God.^v Then he said to him, “Follow me!”^w

²⁰Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved^x 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?”)^{y 21}When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

²²Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return,^z what is that to you? You must follow me.”^{a 23}Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers^b that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

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

²⁵Jesus did many other things as well.^e If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.