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21
1 Later Jesus appeared again to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee.* Literally, “Sea of Tiberias.” This is how it happened. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and Zebedee's sons, and two other disciples were together.
3 “I'm going fishing,” Simon Peter said to them. “We'll come with you,” they replied. So they left and went out in the boat, but all night they caught nothing.
4 When dawn came Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples didn't know it was him. 5 Jesus called to them, “My friends, haven't you caught anything?”
“No,” they replied.
6 “Throw the net out on the right side of the boat, and you'll find some,” he told them. So they threw out the net, and they weren't able to haul it in because it had so many fish. 7 The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It's the Lord.” When Peter heard it was the Lord, he put some clothes on since he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, pulling the net full of fish, because they were not far from the shore, only about a hundred yards. 9 Once they'd landed they saw a fire with fish cooking on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus told them, “Bring some of the fish you've just caught.” 11 Simon Peter went aboard and pulled the net full of fish ashore. There were 153 large fish, yet even so the net hadn't torn.
12 “Come and eat some breakfast,” Jesus said to them. None of the disciples was brave enough to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus took the bread and gave it to them and the fish as well. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to the disciples after being raised from the dead.
15 After breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”† “These.” This could refer to the objects around them, meaning the fisherman's trade, but is more likely that it refers to the other disciples. It is Peter's love for Jesus which is in question.
“Yes, Lord,” he replied, “you know I love you.”
16 “Take care of my lambs,” Jesus told him. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” he asked for the second time.
“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “you know I love you.”
17 “Look after my sheep,” Jesus said to him. “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” he asked a third time.
Peter was saddened that Jesus had asked him for the third time if he loved him. “Lord, you know everything. You know I love you,” Peter told him.
“Take care of my sheep,” said Jesus.
18 “I tell you the truth,” said Jesus, “when you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted. But when you're old, you'll hold out your hands and someone will dress you and take you where you don't want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to explain the kind of death by which he would glorify God. Then he said to Peter, “Follow me.”
20 As Peter turned round, he saw the disciple Jesus loved following them, the one who had leaned over to Jesus during the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”
21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
22 Jesus told him, “If I want him to remain alive here until I return, why is that your concern? You follow me!”
23 This is why the saying spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus didn't say to him that he wouldn't die, just that “If I want him to remain alive here until I return, why is that your concern?”
24 This disciple confirms what happened and wrote all this down. We know that what he says is true. 25 Jesus did many other things as well, and if it all was written down, I doubt the whole world could hold all the books that would be written.

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*21:1 Literally, “Sea of Tiberias.”

†21:15 “These.” This could refer to the objects around them, meaning the fisherman's trade, but is more likely that it refers to the other disciples. It is Peter's love for Jesus which is in question.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher