Side by side
John 21
Our retelling next to the Bible text it comes from. Each row lines up one scene with the verses it retells.
Scene 1: A Night with No FishVerses 1 to 3
A fishing boat floated on the dark lake. Seven of Jesus's disciples were together by the Sea of Tiberias.
Peter was there. So were Thomas, Nathanael from Cana, the two sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples.
Peter said, "I'm going fishing."
The Bible doesn't say why Peter went fishing. But remember: fishing was Peter's work before he met Jesus.
The others said, "We'll come with you."
They got into the boat and went out. They fished all night. They caught nothing.
1Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus again revealed Himself to the disciples. He made Himself known in this way: 2Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3Simon Peter told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
Scene 2: A Man on the ShoreVerses 4 to 6
Early in the morning, a man stood on the beach. It was Jesus. But the disciples did not recognize him.
Jesus called out to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" (21:5).
"No," they answered.
He said, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some" (21:6).
So they did. Now the net was so full of fish that they could not pull it in.
This had happened to Peter once before. Years earlier, he had fished all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus told him where to let down his nets, and they filled with fish (Luke 5:5-6).
4Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not recognize that it was Jesus. 5So He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered. 6He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
Scene 3: "It Is the Lord!"Verses 7 to 8
The disciple whom Jesus loved looked at the shore. He said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" (21:7).
Peter had taken off his outer garment. When he heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment back on. Then he jumped into the sea.
Peter did not wait for the boat. He went into the water to get to Jesus. The disciple whom Jesus loved was the first to know. Peter was the first to move.
The other disciples came to shore in the boat. They were about a hundred yards from land. They dragged the heavy net full of fish behind them.
7Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea. 8The other disciples came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.
Scene 4: Breakfast by the FireVerses 9 to 14
When they reached the beach, they saw a charcoal fire. There was fish on it, and some bread.
Peter had stood by a charcoal fire once before. It was the night he said he did not know Jesus (18:18).
Jesus said, "Bring some of the fish you have caught."
Peter climbed into the boat. He dragged the net onto the sand. It was full of large fish. There were 153 of them. Even so, the net did not tear. John tells us the exact number. He does not say what it means.
Jesus said, "Come, have breakfast" (21:12).
None of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.
Jesus took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. Jesus served them himself. By this same lake, he had once fed a huge crowd with bread and fish (6:11).
This was the third time Jesus showed himself to his disciples after he rose from the dead.
9When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread. 10Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn. 12“Come, have breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Scene 5: Two QuestionsVerses 15 to 16
After they finished eating, Jesus turned to Peter. He used Peter's old name, the name Peter had before Jesus called him.
He asked, "Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?" (21:15).
Peter answered, "Yes, Lord... You know I love You" (21:15).
Peter said yes. But he did not say "more than these." This time, he did not compare himself with anyone.
Jesus said, "Feed My lambs" (21:15). Lambs are young sheep.
Jesus asked a second time. "Simon son of John, do you love Me?" (21:16).
Peter said again, "Yes, Lord... You know I love You" (21:16).
Jesus said, "Shepherd My sheep" (21:16).
This is a comparison. Jesus's followers are the lambs and sheep. Jesus was giving Peter a job. Peter would take care of Jesus's people. Much later, a letter that begins with Peter's name tells church leaders, "Be shepherds of God's flock" (1 Peter 5:2).
15When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.” 16Jesus asked a second time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
Scene 6: The Third QuestionVerse 17
Then Jesus asked a third time. "Simon son of John, do you love Me?" (21:17).
"Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time" (21:17).
The Bible doesn't say why Peter was hurt. But the night Jesus was arrested, Peter had denied him three times. Now Jesus asked him three times.
Peter did not make a big promise this time. He said, "Lord, You know all things... You know I love You" (21:17).
Jesus said, "Feed My sheep" (21:17).
Three times Peter had said, "I do not know him." Three times Peter said, "You know I love you." And three times Jesus gave him work to do.
17Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
Scene 7: "Follow Me"Verses 18 to 19
Jesus went on. "When you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted" (21:18).
"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" (21:18).
John explains what this meant. Jesus was telling Peter how he would die. Peter's death would bring glory to God.
Before Peter denied Jesus, he had said, "I will lay down my life for You" (13:37). That night, Peter failed. Now Jesus told Peter that one day he would die in a way that honored God.
Then Jesus said two words to Peter.
"Follow Me" (21:19).
Years before, by this same lake, Jesus had called Peter with those words (Matthew 4:19). Peter's failure had not cancelled the call. Jesus gave it to him again.
18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked 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 by which Peter would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.”
Between scenesVerses 20 to 25
This part isn't retold as its own scene.
20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?” 21When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!” 23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?” 24This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true. 25There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.
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