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

1Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. This is what happened. 2Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two other disciples of Jesus were together. Simon Peter said to the others, “I’m going fishing.” They told him, “We’re going with you.” They went out in a boat but didn’t catch a thing that night. 4As the sun was rising, Jesus stood on the shore. The disciples didn’t realize that it was Jesus. 5Jesus asked them, “Friends, haven’t you caught any fish?” They answered him, “No, we haven’t.”

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 6:1The disciples of the prophets said to Elisha, “The place where we’re staying is too small for us.
• Matthew 4:18As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.
• Luke 5:10James and John, who were Zebedee’s sons and Simon’s partners, were also amazed. Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people instead of fish.”
• Acts 18:3and because they made tents for a living as he did, he stayed with them and they worked together.
• Acts 20:34You know that I worked to support myself and those who were with me.
• 1 Corinthians 9:6Or is it only Barnabas and I who don’t have any rights, except to find work to support ourselves?
• 1 Thessalonians 2:9You remember, brothers and sisters, our work and what we did to earn a living. We worked night and day so that we could bring you the Good News of God without being a burden to any of you.
• 2 Thessalonians 3:7You know what you must do to imitate us. We lived a disciplined life among you.
• Luke 5:5Simon answered, “Teacher, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I’ll lower the nets.”
• 1 Corinthians 3:7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is important because ⌞only⌟ God makes it grow.

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