John 21:3

John 21:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
• New International Version (NIV)“I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

Context of John 21:3

1After this Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). And He did it in this way: 2Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus (the twin), and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, as well as [John and James] the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said, “And we are coming with you.” So they went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing. 4As morning was breaking, Jesus [came and] stood on the beach; however, the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5So Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish [to eat along with your bread]?” They answered, “No.”

John 21:3 word by word

λέγει αὐτοῖς Σίμων Πέτρος· ὑπάγω ἁλιεύειν. λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ἐρχόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς σὺν σοί. ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἐνέβησαν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἐπίασαν οὐδέν.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• SimonΣίμωνSimōn · SimonG4613
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• unto themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• I goὑπάγωhupagō · to goG5217
• a fishingἁλιεύωhalieuō · to fishG232
• Weἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• alsoκαίkai · andG2532
• goἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• withσύνsun · withG4862
• theeσύsu · youG4771
• They went forthἐξέρχομαιexerchomai · to go outG1831
• enteredἀναβαίνωanabainō · to ascendG305
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• a shipὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• a shipπλοῖονploion · boatG4143
• immediatelyεὐθέωςeutheōs · immediatelyG2112
• ·ἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• nightνύξnux · nightG3571
• they caughtπιάζωpiazō · to arrest/catchG4084
• nothingοὐδείςoudeis · noneG3762

Cross-references for John 21:3

• 2 Kings 6:1Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look now, the place where we live near you is too small for us.
• Matthew 4:18As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He noticed two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.
• Luke 5:10and so were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon [Peter]. Jesus said to Simon, “Have no fear; from now on you will be catching men!”
• Acts 18:3and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them; and they worked together for they were tent-makers.
• Acts 20:34You know personally that these hands ministered to my own needs [working in manual labor] and to [those of] the people who were with me.
• 1 Corinthians 9:6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to stop doing manual labor [in order to support our ministry]?
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9For you remember, believers, our labor and hardship. We worked night and day [practicing our trade] in order not to be a [financial] burden to any of you while we proclaimed the gospel of God to you.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:7For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined or inappropriate manner when we were with you [we were never idle or lazy, nor did we avoid our duties],
• Luke 5:5Simon replied, “Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].”
• 1 Corinthians 3:7So neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters anything, but [only] God who causes the growth.

Commentaries on John 21:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Peter saith - I go a fishing - Previously to the crucifixion of our Lord, the temporal necessities of himself and his disciples appear to have been supplied by the charity of individuals: Luke 8:3. As it is probable that the scandal of the cross had now shut up this source of support, the disciples, not fully knowing how they were to be employed, purposed to return to their former occupation of fishing, in order to gain a livelihood; and therefore the…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3That night they caught nothing - This was so ordered in the providence of God that the miracle which was performed might appear more remarkable.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Fishing was usually successful in the early hours of the morning. However, this trip was useless and they caught nothing all night.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-63-6. Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing--(See on Lu 5:11). that night ... caught nothing--as at the first miraculous draught (see on Lu 5:5); no doubt so ordered that the miracle might strike them the more by contrast. The same principle is seen in operation throughout much of Christ's ministry, and is indeed a great law of God's spiritual procedure with His people.Read the comment

Topics related to John 21:3

• Fishermen
• Galilee
• John
• Peter

In the dictionaries

• Peter
• Simon Peter
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• Dare
• Fishing, the art of
• Galilee, Sea of
• Andrew
• Body, Spiritual
• Fisher; Fisherman
• Fishing

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