John 21:15

John 21:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
• New International Version (NIV)When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)When 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."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, 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.”

Context of John 21:15

13Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead. After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him. 16Jesus 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. 17A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

John 21:15 word by word

Ὅτε οὖν ἠρίστησαν, λέγει τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς με πλέον τούτων; λέγει αὐτῷ· ναὶ κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. λέγει αὐτῷ· βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Soοὖνoun · therefore/thenG3767
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• they had dinedἀριστάωaristaō · to eat early mealG709
• Jesusὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• saithλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
• to SimonΣίμωνSimōn · SimonG4613
• PeterΠέτροςPetros · PeterG4074
• of JonasἸωνᾶςIōnas · JohnG2495
• lovest thouἀγαπάωagapaō · to loveG25
• meἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• more thanπλείων, πλεῖονpleiōn pleion pleon · greaterG4119
• theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
• unto himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• Yeaναίnai · yesG3483
• Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
• thouσύsu · youG4771
• knowestεἴδωeidō · to perceive: understandG1492
• thatὅτιhoti · that/since: thatG3754
• I loveφιλέωphileō · to loveG5368
• Feedβόσκωboskō · to feedG1006
• lambsἀρνίονarnion · lambG721

Cross-references for John 21:15

• John 21:16Jesus 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.
• John 1:42Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, “Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas” (which means “Peter”).
• Matthew 16:17Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.
• John 8:42Jesus told them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I have come to you from God. I am not here on my own, but he sent me.
• John 14:15“If you love me, obey my commandments.
• John 16:27for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.
• Matthew 10:37“If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.
• Matthew 25:34“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
• 1 Corinthians 16:21Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—Paul.
• 2 Corinthians 5:14Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life.
• Galatians 5:6For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.
• Ephesians 6:24May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.
• 1 Peter 1:8You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
• 1 John 4:19We love each other because he loved us first.
• 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too.
• John 21:7Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.

Commentaries on John 21:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Simon lovest thou me - Peter had thrice denied his Lord, and now Christ gives him an opportunity in some measure to repair his fault by a triple confession. More than these? - This was a kind of reproach to Peter: he had professed a more affectionate attachment to Christ than the rest; he had been more forward in making professions of friendship and love than any of the others; and no one (Judas excepted) had treated his Lord so basely. As he had before…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Lovest thou me more than these? - There is a slight ambiguity here in the original, as there is in our translation. The word these may be in the neuter gender, and refer to these things his boat, his fishing utensils, and his employments; or it may be in the masculine, and refer to the apostles. In the former sense it would mean, “Lovest thou me more than thou lovest these objects? Art thou now willing, from love to me, to forsake all these, and go 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. 15more than these? (Or more than these others do?): Jesus reminded Peter of his claim to be more faithful and brave than the others (13:37; Matthew 26:33; Mark 14:29). He was urging Peter to examine himself.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 21:15

• Apostles
• Children
• Discipleship
• Jesus, the Christ
• Jonas
• Minister, Christian
• Peter
• Righteous

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Peter
• Simon Peter
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Peter, Simon Peter, Cephas
• Peter, Simon
• Baptism, Christian
• Dare
• Galilee, Sea of
• Jonas

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