John 21

Jesus Appears by the Sea

1After these things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. This is how he revealed himself: 2Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” They told him, “We are coming with you.” 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 called to them, “Children, you don’t have any fish, do you?” They answered him, “No.” 6He told 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 great number of fish. 7The disciple Jesus loved told Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tied his outer garment around himself, because he was stripped for work, and plunged into the sea. 8The other disciples came in the small boat, dragging the net full of fish, because they were not far from land—only about two hundred cubits. 9When they came ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish lying on it, and bread. 10Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11So Simon Peter climbed aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of 153 large fish. Even with so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus told them, “Come and eat breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he had been raised from the dead.

Jesus Restores Peter

15After they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He answered, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.” 16Jesus asked him a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd my sheep.” 17Jesus asked him a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He answered, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus told him, “Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I tell you: when you were younger, you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

What About This Disciple?

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

The Witness Behind the Gospel

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