John 21:16 kjv
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
John 21:16 nkjv
He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."
John 21:16 niv
Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep."
John 21:16 esv
He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
John 21:16 nlt
Jesus 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 21 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 21:15 | Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? | Affirmation of Peter's love |
| John 21:17 | He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. | Jesus knows Peter's heart |
| 1 Peter 5:2 | Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; | Command to Peter to feed sheep |
| John 21:18 | Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. | Prophecy of Peter's death |
| Luke 22:31-32 | And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat; But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. | Jesus' prayer for Peter |
| Acts 2:41 | Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. | Peter preaching effectively |
| Acts 4:8 | Then Peter said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, | Peter bold in faith |
| John 18:25-27 | Now Simon Peter stood with them, warming himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied it again: and immediately the cock crew. | Peter's denial |
| Matthew 16:18 | And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. | Jesus' declaration to Peter |
| 1 Corinthians 13:7 | Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. | Love's perseverance |
| John 20:27 | Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. | Peter's restoration implied |
| 1 John 4:19 | We love him, because he first loved us. | Foundation of love |
| Ephesians 4:11-12 | And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: | Role of restored leaders |
| John 1:42 | And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone. | Peter's new name |
| Acts 1:8 | But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. | Commission to Peter |
| Galatians 2:9 | And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and I unto the circumcision. | Peter's leadership |
| Psalm 42:1 | As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. | Deep desire for God |
| Proverbs 3:5-6 | Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. | Trust in God |
| Matthew 10:16 | Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. | Guidance for disciples |
| 1 Peter 4:8 | And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. | Importance of love |
| Song of Solomon 5:2 | I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that knocketh: my love, my dove, my undefiled: | Beloved's call |
John 21 verses
John 21 16 Meaning
Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, and this particular question is a direct denial reversal and a reinstatement into ministry.
John 21 16 Context
This exchange occurs after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus has appeared to His disciples, including Peter, who had previously denied Jesus three times. They are by the Sea of Galilee, where Peter and others are fishing. Jesus initiates a conversation, and the focus shifts to Peter's confession of love and Jesus' commission. The specific question "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?" comes after Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him more than these (referring to the fish or their fishing profession). This setting emphasizes a return to discipleship and restoration for Peter, who had fallen from grace after his denial.
John 21 16 Word Analysis
- Simon: (Συμοων, Symōn) The original name of the apostle, given by his father Jonah. It signifies a listener or obedient one.
- son: (υιος, huios) Refers to lineage and connection. Jesus emphasizes Peter's identity rooted in his father.
- of Jonah: (Ιωνα, Iōna) Jesus uses Peter's patronymic, perhaps to gently recall his original calling before his denial.
- lovest thou: (αγαπας, agapas) This is the second person singular present active indicative of the verb agapao. It refers to a deep, sacrificial, and unconditional love. This is contrasted with phileō (φιλέω), which can denote brotherly affection or fondness. Jesus asks Peter about the highest form of love.
- me: (με, me) The personal pronoun in the accusative case, referring directly to Jesus.
- more than these: (τουτων, toutōn) This phrase can be interpreted in a few ways: more than these other disciples love Me, more than these fish love Me (or the fish are loved), or more than I love these things (referring to Peter's current occupation). The most common understanding relates to Peter's assertion at the Last Supper.
Words-Group Analysis
- Simon, son of Jonah: Jesus' intentional use of Peter's given name and paternal lineage can be seen as a way to get Peter's full attention and to connect with him on a foundational level before discussing his deeper spiritual state. It bypasses the name "Peter" (Cephas), which Jesus gave him, potentially acknowledging Peter's past failures with the name "rock" associated with him.
- lovest thou me more than these?: This question is deeply probing. Jesus' repetition of the question using agapao after Peter's reply (likely using phileō in the parallel passages in John) highlights the depth of loyalty and devotion required for shepherding Christ's flock. It addresses the pride Peter may have had at the Last Supper when he said, "Lord, I will lay down my life for you." Jesus is testing if Peter's love has endured the trials.
John 21 16 Bonus Section
The contrast between agapao and phileō is significant in Greek scholarship. While John 21:16 uses agapas (αγαπάς) for Jesus' question and philo (φιλώ, the verb form of phileo) for Peter's reply ("you know that I philo you"), the preceding verses might have seen a reversal of this. Scholars suggest Peter, humbled by his denial, may have used phileō to express his sincere but perhaps less presumptuous affection, while Jesus continues to probe with the higher standard of agapao. Ultimately, Peter's sincere commitment, even with phileō, is accepted by Jesus, who then entrusts him with the ultimate pastoral care of the flock. This restoration ensures Peter's future ministry, despite his earlier failure.
John 21 16 Commentary
Jesus' threefold question to Peter serves as a parallel to Peter's threefold denial. The first question ("Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?") implies Peter's past boast of loving Jesus more than the other disciples, and his prior claim to be willing to die for Jesus. When Peter responds, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you," he uses oida (οίδα, to know intimately) and agapao (αγαπαω, the divine love). Jesus then responds, "Feed my lambs." This is a powerful restoration and a commission to leadership within the Church, signifying that Peter’s true love for Christ is demonstrated by caring for His followers. The subsequent questions, "Do you love me?" and "Do you love me?" repeat the core inquiry. The shift from "Feed my lambs" to "Tend my sheep" and then "Feed my sheep" implies an expanding responsibility for the entire flock, emphasizing Peter's crucial role as a shepherd and a pillar in the early Church. It's not just about forgiveness; it's about reinvestment into ministry based on Peter's redeemed love and his new strength.