John 21:20 kjv
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
John 21:20 nkjv
Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, "Lord, who is the one who betrays You?"
John 21:20 niv
Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?")
John 21:20 esv
Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?"
John 21:20 nlt
Peter 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?"
John 21 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 21:20 | Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" | John 21:21 (parallel statement) |
| John 13:23 | "Now one of the disciples whom Jesus loved was reclining at His side..." | John 19:26; John 20:2 |
| John 20:2 | "...she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved..." | Mark 16:7; Luke 24:12 |
| John 21:24 | "This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them, and we know..." | John 19:35 |
| John 13:25 | "Leaning back thus on His breast, he said, 'Lord, who is it?'" | Mark 14:12-14; Luke 22:8, 11-12 |
| John 21:21 | Peter therefore, seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what of this one?" | John 11:11; Acts 1:6 |
| Matthew 16:28 | "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death..." | Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27 |
| John 14:18 | "I will not leave you as orphans..." | John 16:32 |
| 1 Peter 4:13 | "rather, as you partake in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, so that at the..." | Rom 8:17; 2 Cor 1:7 |
| 1 Peter 5:1 | "So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings..." | Acts 15:2; 1 Pet 5:2 |
| 1 Peter 1:6 | "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you must..." | James 1:2-3 |
| Acts 12:2 | "he had James the brother of John put to the sword with a sword." | Mark 10:35-40 |
| Revelation 1:1 | "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants..." | Rev 1:3 |
| Acts 5:29 | "But Peter answered them, 'We must obey God rather than men.'" | Acts 4:19; Ex 1:17 |
| Acts 2:14 | "But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice..." | Mark 16:14; Luke 24:33, 37 |
| 2 Peter 1:16 | "For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the..." | Luke 1:1-4 |
| 1 John 2:27 | "But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no..." | John 14:26 |
| John 21:22 | "Jesus said to him, 'If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to..." | John 18:9 |
| John 21:23 | "The saying therefore went out among the brothers, that this disciple would not..." | John 11:26; 1 Cor 15:51 |
| 2 Timothy 4:8 | "knowing that whatever good anything is from the Lord, he will repay it." | Heb 6:10 |
| Hebrews 11:5 | "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death..." | Gen 5:24 |
John 21 verses
John 21 20 Meaning
This verse describes Peter's intense curiosity and his attempt to understand the destiny of John the Beloved Disciple in relation to Jesus' statement about His own return. It highlights Peter's characteristic eagerness and desire to know future events concerning his fellow apostles.
John 21 20 Context
This verse occurs at the conclusion of the Gospel of John, following Jesus' resurrection. Jesus has just appeared to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias and restored Peter's calling to ministry after his denial. Jesus then tells Peter he will suffer and die to follow Him, which Peter then turns to inquire about the destiny of the disciple whom Jesus loved (traditionally identified as John). This conversation takes place in the Galilee region, a significant location for Jesus' ministry and early church activity.
John 21 20 Word Analysis
- Peter: (Gk: Πέτρος, Petros) - Means "rock" or "stone." This is Simon Peter, the apostle. His name signifies the solid foundation he was intended to be in the early church, yet he often displayed impulsive tendencies.
- seeing: (Gk: ἰδών, idōn) - Aorist participle of ὁράω (horaō), meaning "to see," "to behold," "to perceive." It implies a direct visual perception.
- him: (Gk: αὐτόν, auton) - Refers to the disciple whom Jesus loved, who was present with Peter.
- said: (Gk: εἶπεν, eipen) - Aorist indicative of λέγω (legō), meaning "to say," "to speak."
- to Jesus: (Gk: τῷ Ἰησοῦ, tō Iēsou) - Dative case, indicating the recipient of the words.
- Lord: (Gk: Κύριε, Kyrie) - A term of address indicating respect, authority, and divinity. Peter addresses Jesus as Lord, acknowledging His resurrected status and authority.
- what about: (Gk: δὲ, de / τί, ti) - "De" is a particle of transition or contrast, often translated as "but" or "and." "Ti" means "what." Combined, it signifies "And what concerning" or "What about."
- this: (Gk: οὗτος, houtos) - Demonstrative pronoun pointing to the person present.
- man: (Gk: οὗτος, houtos) - Literally "this one," referring to the disciple John. It’s the same demonstrative pronoun as "this," but in this context, it implies "this person" or "this individual."
Words Group Analysis:
- Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?": This entire phrase captures Peter's characteristic impulsiveness and forwardness. It’s a direct question about another’s fate, revealing a concern that contrasts with Jesus’ instruction to Peter concerning his own calling and eventual martyrdom. The act of "seeing" prompts the question, linking John's presence to Peter's curiosity.
John 21 20 Bonus Section
This instance of Peter asking about John's destiny is reminiscent of previous occasions where the disciples showed a desire to know God’s future plans or their own unique positions. For example, after Jesus spoke of the destruction of the temple, the disciples, including Peter, James, and John, asked Him privately when these things would happen (Mark 13:3-4). This tendency reflects a natural human curiosity about the future and a desire for clear guidance regarding God’s purposes, even while Christ calls for present faithfulness and obedience. Jesus' consistent response across these instances is to redirect focus from speculative future knowledge to present discipleship and trust.
John 21 20 Commentary
Peter, ever the one to speak first and perhaps jump ahead, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved leaning on Him, or simply present. His attention shifts from his own immediate future, as foretold by Jesus, to the fate of John. The question "what about this man?" stems from a deep desire to understand Jesus’ plan for all His closest followers. It's not necessarily jealousy, but a quest for completeness in understanding the disciples' individual paths after Jesus’ departure. Jesus' response in the following verse clarifies that while some might remain until His coming, Peter's immediate focus should be on following Him, regardless of others' destinies. This interaction highlights the importance of individual obedience and trust in God's timing and plans, rather than comparing our paths with others.