English Standard Version
John 21:16
16He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
John 21:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
- New International Version (NIV)Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
Context of John 21:16
14This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." 17He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. 18Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."
Read all of John 21John 21:16 word by word
λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν δεύτερον· Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς με; λέγει αὐτῷ· ναὶ κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. λέγει αὐτῷ· ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- He saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- to himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- againπάλινpalin · againG3825
- the second timeδεύτεροςdeuteros · secondlyG1208
- SimonΣίμωνSimōn · SimonG4613
- of JonasἸωνᾶςIōnas · JohnG2495
- lovest thouἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- Yeaναίnai · yesG3483
- Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- thouσύsu · youG4771
- knowestεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
- thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
- I loveφιλέωphileō · to loveG5368
- Feedποιμαίνωpoimainō · to shepherdG4165
- sheepὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- sheepπρόβατονprobaton · sheepG4263
Cross-references for John 21:16
- John 18:17The servant girl at the door said to Peter, "You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."
- Matthew 26:72And again he denied it with an oath: "I do not know the man."
- John 10:11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
- Psalms 95:7For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,
- Psalms 100:3Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
- Zechariah 13:7"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me," declares the Lord of hosts. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.
- Matthew 25:32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
- Luke 15:3So he told them this parable:
- Luke 19:10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
- Acts 20:28Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
- Hebrews 13:20Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,
- 1 Peter 2:25For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Commentaries on John 21:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Feed my sheep - The word here rendered “feed,” as has been remarked, is different from the word in the previous verse. It has the sense of governing, caring for, guiding, protecting - the kind of faithful vigilance which a shepherd uses to guide his flock, and to make provision against their wants and dangers. It may be implied here that the care needed for the young in the church is to instruct them, and for those in advanced years both to instruct and…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. 15-17Do you love me?: These three questions and affirmations recall Peter’s three denials (18:15–18, 25–27). Jesus invited Peter to reaffirm everything he had denied. The Greek word for love in the first two questions (agapaō) differs from the word in his third question (phileō). In each case, Peter responded with the second word (phileō). Most Greek scholars view the two words as synonyms in this situation. The conversation Jesus had with Peter focused not on…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1715-17. when they had dined, Jesus saith--Silence appears to have reigned during the meal; unbroken on His part, that by their mute observation of Him they might have their assurance of His identity the more confirmed; and on theirs, from reverential shrinking to speak till He did. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?--referring lovingly to those sad words of Peter, shortly before denying his Lord, "Though all men shall be offended because…Read the comment
Topics related to John 21:16
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries