John 21:23

John 21:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
• New International Version (NIV)Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

Context of John 21:23

21So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?” 22Jesus said to him, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you? You follow Me!” So this word went out among the brothers that this disciple (John) was not going to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but only, “If I want him to stay alive until I come [again], what is that to you?” 24This is the same disciple who is testifying to these things and has recorded them; and we know [without any doubt] that his testimony is true. 25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were recorded one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

John 21:23 word by word

Ἐξῆλθεν οὖν οὗτος ὁ λόγος εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὅτι ὁ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἀποθνῄσκει· οὐκ εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι οὐκ ἀποθνῄσκει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν αὐτὸν θέλω μένειν ἕως ἔρχομαι, τί πρὸς σέ;Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Thenοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• wentἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• sayingὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• sayingλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• amongεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the brethrenἀδελφόςadelphos · brotherG80
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• discipleμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
• shouldἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• notοὐou · noG3756
• yetκαίkai · andG2532
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• butἀλλάalla · butG235
• Ifἐάνean · ifG1437
• I will thatθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
• tarryμένωmenō · to stayG3306
• tillἕωςheōs · untilG2193
• I comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• whatτίςtis · which?G5101
• toπρόςpros · to/withG4314
• theeσύsu · youG4771

Cross-references for John 21:23

• Deuteronomy 29:29“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed and disclosed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may do all of the words of this law.
• Job 28:28But to man He said, ‘Behold, the reverential and worshipful fear of the Lord—that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.’ ”
• Job 33:13“Why do you complain against Him? That He does not answer [you with] all His doings.
• Daniel 4:35All the inhabitants of the earth are regarded as nothing. But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth; And no one can hold back His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’

Commentaries on John 21:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Then went this saying … - This mistake arose very naturally: 1.From the words of Jesus, which might be easily misunderstood to mean that he should not die; and, 2.It was probably confirmed when it was seen that John survived all the other apostles, had escaped all the dangers of persecution, and was leading a peaceful life at Ephesus. This mistake John deemed it proper to correct before he died, and has thus left on record what Jesus said and what he…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-24Verses 20-24 Sufferings, pains, and death, will appear formidable even to the experienced Christian; but in the hope to glorify God, to leave a sinful world, and to be present with his Lord, he becomes ready to obey the Redeemer's call, and to follow Him through death to glory. It is the will of Christ that his disciples should mind their own duty, and not be curious about future events, either as to themselves or others. Many things we are apt to be…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23What Jesus said to Peter spread, causing some to conclude that John would not die until Jesus returned in his second coming. What Jesus said when he rebuked Peter (21:22) is repeated to answer that rumor. Those among the community of believers who believed this rumor were thus instructed to abandon any guessing about what would happen to John. According to tradition, John died peacefully in Ephesus at an old age, surrounded by fellow believers.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2322-23. Jesus saith to him, If I will that he tarry fill I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me--From the fact that John alone of the Twelve survived the destruction of Jerusalem, and so witnessed the commencement of that series of events which belongs to "the last days," many good interpreters think that this is a virtual prediction of fact, and not a mere supposition. But this is very doubtful, and it seems more natural to consider our Lord as…Read the comment

Topics related to John 21:23

• Jesus Continued
• Peter
• Predestination

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Dare
• Galilee, Sea of
• Chronology of the New Testament
• Jesus Christ
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Parousia
• Peter, Simon
• John, Gospel of

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