John 21:19

John 21:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me."
• New King James Version (NKJV)This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Context of John 21:19

17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me [with a deep, personal affection for Me, as for a close friend]?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you [really] love Me [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend]?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love You [with a deep, personal affection, as for a close friend].” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. 18I assure you and most solemnly say to you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and arms, and someone else will dress you, and carry you where you do not wish to go.” Now He said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And after saying this, He said to him, “Follow Me [walk the same path of life that I have walked]!” 20Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray You?” 21So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?”

John 21:19 word by word

τοῦτο δὲ εἶπεν σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ δοξάσει τὸν θεόν. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν λέγει αὐτῷ· ἀκολούθει μοι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• spake heλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• signifyingσημαίνωsēmainō · to signifyG4591
• by whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• he should glorifyδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473

Cross-references for John 21:19

• Philippians 1:20It is my own eager expectation and hope, that [looking toward the future] I will not disgrace myself nor be ashamed in anything, but that with courage and the utmost freedom of speech, even now as always, Christ will be magnified and exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.
• 1 Peter 4:11Whoever speaks [to the congregation], is to do so as one who speaks the oracles (utterances, the very words) of God. Whoever serves [the congregation] is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God [abundantly] supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified [honored and magnified] through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
• 2 Peter 1:14knowing that the laying aside of this earthly tent of mine is imminent, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me.
• John 21:22Jesus said to him, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!”
• John 12:26If anyone serves Me, he must [continue to faithfully] follow Me [without hesitation, holding steadfastly to Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]; and wherever I am [in heaven’s glory], there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
• John 13:36Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will be able to follow later.”
• Numbers 14:24But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land into which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.
• 1 Samuel 12:20Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid. You have [indeed] done all this evil; yet do not turn away from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
• Matthew 10:38And he who does not take his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me] is not worthy of Me.
• Matthew 16:21From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples [clearly] that He must go to Jerusalem, and endure many things at the hands of the elders and the chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and be killed, and be raised [from death to life] on the third day.
• Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, in the renewal [that is, the Messianic restoration and regeneration of all things] when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you [who have followed Me, becoming My disciples] will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Mark 8:33But turning around [with His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan; for your mind is not set on God’s will or His values and purposes, but on what pleases man.”
• Luke 9:22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected [as the Messiah] by the elders and chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and be put to death, and on the third day be raised up [from death to life].”

Commentaries on John 21:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Should glorify God - Ancient writers state that, about thirty-four years after this, Peter was crucified; and that he deemed it so glorious a thing to die for Christ that he begged to be crucified with his head downwards, not considering himself worthy to die in the same posture in which his Lord did. So Eusebius, Prudentius, Chrysostom, and Augustin. See Calmet. Follow me - Whether our Lord meant by these words that Peter was to walk with him a little…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19By what death … - In these words two things are implied: 1.that Peter would die a violent death; and, 2.that his death would be such as to honor God. The ancients say that Peter was crucified at Rome, about 34 years after this, with his head downward. Clemens says that he was led to the crucifixion with his wife, and sustained her in her sufferings by exhorting her to remember the example of her Lord. He also adds that he died, not as the philosophers…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-19Verses 15-19 Our Lord addressed Peter by his original name, as if he had forfeited that of Peter through his denying him. He now answered, Thou knowest that I love thee; but without professing to love Jesus more than others. We must not be surprised to have our sincerity called into question, when we ourselves have done that which makes it doubtful. Every remembrance of past sins, even pardoned sins, renews the sorrow of a true penitent. Conscious of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19The rest of Peter’s life was a ministry tending the flock of God, and his martyrdom was a kind of death that glorifies God. Follow me: This might require suffering and death (see 13:16; 15:18–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. When thou wast young--embracing the whole period of life to the verge of old age. thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest--wast thine own master. when ... old thou shalt stretch forth thine hands--to be bound for execution, though not necessarily meaning on a cross. There is no reason, however, to doubt the very early tradition that Peter's death was by crucifixion.Read the comment

Topics related to John 21:19

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Apostles
• Discipleship
• Glorifying God
• Jesus Continued
• Peter

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Dare
• Galilee, Sea of
• Peter
• Body, Spiritual
• Jesus Christ
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Persecution
• Peter, Simon

Commentaries on John 21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Catena Aurea
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• John Lightfoot Commentary
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings