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

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. 18“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.” 20Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?” 21Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

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 1:20For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.
• 1 Peter 4:11Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.
• 2 Peter 1:14For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life,
• John 21:22Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”
• John 12:26Anyone who wants to serve me must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me.
• John 13:36Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
• Numbers 14:24But my servant Caleb has a different attitude than the others have. He has remained loyal to me, so I will bring him into the land he explored. His descendants will possess their full share of that land.
• 1 Samuel 12:20“Don’t be afraid,” Samuel reassured them. “You have certainly done wrong, but make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart, and don’t turn your back on him.
• Matthew 10:38If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine.
• Matthew 16:21From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.
• Matthew 19:28Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
• Mark 8:33Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
• Luke 9:22“The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”

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