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John 21

1After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. 2Simon Peter, Thomas who was called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are coming with you too.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4When morning had already come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and could no longer haul it in because of the multitude of fish. 7Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around himself, for he had stripped, and threw himself into the sea. 8The other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, about two hundred cubits away. 9When they got out onto the land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net onto the land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three. Though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples after being raised from the dead.

15When 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.” Jesus 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.” Jesus said to him, “Shepherd my sheep.” 17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I tell you: when you were younger, you tied your own belt and walked where you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will tie your belt and carry you where you do not wish.” 19He said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

20Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them—the one who had leaned back against his chest at dinner and said, “Lord, who is the one betraying you?” 21When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” 23So the saying spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not tell him that he would not die. Rather, he said, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

24This is the disciple who testifies about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. 25There are also many other things Jesus did. If they were written down one by one, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

Translation notes 3

21:5–7 — Children, fish, and clothing. “Children” is a familiar address to adults here, not an age report. The food word is rendered “fish” from the fishing context. The clothing description uses gymnos, which can mean naked or insufficiently clothed. “Had stripped” leaves open whether Peter retained underclothing. The text does not specify a loincloth or explain why he tied on the outer garment.

21:15–17 — Love and shepherding. John alternates agapaō and phileō. Both can describe profound love in this Gospel, including the Father's love for the Son. This draft uses “love” for both and records the variation here; it does not insert a fixed contrast between divine love and lesser friendship. “Feed,” “shepherd,” “lambs,” and “sheep” preserve the other changes. “More than these” leaves open whether the comparison is with the other disciples' love, Peter's love for them, or the things around him; the first is a strong contextual reading.

21:18–25 — Belt, death, and testimony. “Belt” supplies the ordinary object of girding oneself. “Someone else will bind you” is another defensible rendering of the later clause, in light of the narrator's explanation that Jesus was describing Peter's death. The dressing and binding imagery is difficult; the text does not narrate the execution or specify an upside-down crucifixion. The narrator explicitly distinguishes a conditional saying from the rumor that the disciple would not die. The final “we know” and “I suppose” are both retained; neither is silently changed to impose a theory of authorship.