God’s Word Translation
John 21:20
20Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved. That disciple was following them. He was the one who leaned against Jesus’ chest at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”
John 21:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
- New International Version (NIV)Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)
- English Standard Version (ESV)Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
Context of John 21:20
18I can guarantee this truth: When you were young, you would get ready to go where you wanted. But when you’re old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will get you ready to take you where you don’t want to go.” 19Jesus said this to show by what kind of death Peter would bring glory to God. After saying this, Jesus told Peter, “Follow me!” Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved. That disciple was following them. He was the one who leaned against Jesus’ chest at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?” 21When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22Jesus said to Peter, “If I want him to live until I come again, how does that concern you? Follow me!”
Read all of John 21John 21:20 word by word
Ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Πέτρος βλέπει τὸν μαθητὴν ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀκολουθοῦντα ὃς καὶ ἀνέπεσεν ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· κύριε, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραδιδούς σε;Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thenδέde · thenG1161
- Peterὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
- turning aboutἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
- seethβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
- the discipleμαθητήςmathētēs · discipleG3101
- whomὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- lovedἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
- followingἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- leanedἀναπίπτωanapipto · to reclineG377
- onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- breastστῆθοςstēthos · chestG4738
- atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- supperδεῖπνονdeipnon · dinnerG1173
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- whichτίςtis · which?G5101
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- betrayethπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
- theeσύsu · youG4771
Cross-references for John 21:20
- John 21:7The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put back on the clothes that he had taken off and jumped into the sea.
- John 20:2So she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. She told them, “They have removed the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him.”
- John 13:23One disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, was near him at the table.
Commentaries on John 21:20
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Which also leaned - See John 13:24-25.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. 20-22“Lord, what about him?”: Peter wanted to know if John would also face death for his faith. Jesus said it was not Peter’s concern to know how or when John would die. Peter’s job was to follow Jesus, just as John already was. This event shows John’s idea of being a disciple: What matters most for the disciple of Jesus is to follow him and do his will, no matter what happens.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. Peter, turning about--showing that he followed immediately as directed. seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on Jesus' breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?--The Evangelist makes these allusions to the peculiar familiarity to which he had been admitted on the most memorable of all occasions, perhaps lovingly to account for Peter's somewhat forward question about him to Jesus; which is the…Read the comment
Topics related to John 21:20
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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