John 21:19

John 21:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
• New International Version (NIV)Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me."
• New King James Version (NKJV)This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”

Context of John 21:19

17Jesus said a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus replied, “Feed my sheep. 18I tell you the solemn truth, when you were young, you tied your clothes around you and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up and bring you where you do not want to go.” (Now Jesus said this to indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God.) After he said this, Jesus told Peter, “Follow me.” 20Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. (This was the disciple who had leaned back against Jesus’ chest at the meal and asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) 21So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

John 21:19 word by word

τοῦτο δὲ εἶπεν σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ δοξάσει τὸν θεόν. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν λέγει αὐτῷ· ἀκολούθει μοι.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·δέde · thenG1161
• Thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• spake heλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• signifyingσημαίνωsēmainō · to signifyG4591
• by whatποῖοςpoios · what?G4169
• deathθάνατοςthanatos · deathG2288
• he should glorifyδοξάζωdoxazō · to glorifyG1392
• Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Followἀκολουθέωakoloutheō · to followG190
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473

Cross-references for John 21:19

• Philippians 1:20My confident hope is that I will in no way be ashamed but that with complete boldness, even now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether I live or die.
• 1 Peter 4:11Whoever speaks, let it be with God’s words. Whoever serves, do so with the strength that God supplies, so that in everything God will be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
• 2 Peter 1:14since I know that my tabernacle will soon be removed, because our Lord Jesus Christ revealed this to me.
• John 21:22Jesus replied, “If I want him to live until I come back, what concern is that of yours? You follow me!”
• John 12:26If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
• John 13:36Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”
• Numbers 14:24Only my servant Caleb, because he had a different spirit and has followed me fully – I will bring him into the land where he had gone, and his descendants will possess it.
• 1 Samuel 12:20Then Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed sinned. However, don’t turn aside from the Lord. Serve the Lord with all your heart.
• Matthew 10:38And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
• Matthew 16:21From that time on Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
• Matthew 19:28Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth: In the age when all things are renewed, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Mark 8:33But after turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but on man’s.”
• Luke 9:22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and experts in the law, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

Commentaries on John 21:19

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 19Should glorify God - Ancient writers state that, about thirty-four years after this, Peter was crucified; and that he deemed it so glorious a thing to die for Christ that he begged to be crucified with his head downwards, not considering himself worthy to die in the same posture in which his Lord did. So Eusebius, Prudentius, Chrysostom, and Augustin. See Calmet. Follow me - Whether our Lord meant by these words that Peter was to walk with him a little…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19By what death … - In these words two things are implied: 1.that Peter would die a violent death; and, 2.that his death would be such as to honor God. The ancients say that Peter was crucified at Rome, about 34 years after this, with his head downward. Clemens says that he was led to the crucifixion with his wife, and sustained her in her sufferings by exhorting her to remember the example of her Lord. He also adds that he died, not as the philosophers…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. 19The rest of Peter’s life was a ministry tending the flock of God, and his martyrdom was a kind of death that glorifies God. Follow me: This might require suffering and death (see 13:16; 15:18–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-1918-19. When thou wast young--embracing the whole period of life to the verge of old age. thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest--wast thine own master. when ... old thou shalt stretch forth thine hands--to be bound for execution, though not necessarily meaning on a cross. There is no reason, however, to doubt the very early tradition that Peter's death was by crucifixion.Read the comment

Topics related to John 21:19

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Apostles
• Discipleship
• Glorifying God
• Jesus Continued
• Peter

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Dare
• Galilee, Sea of
• Peter
• Body, Spiritual
• Jesus Christ
• Mark, the Gospel According to
• Persecution
• Peter, Simon

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