John 21 6

John 21:6 kjv

And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

John 21:6 nkjv

And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

John 21:6 niv

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

John 21:6 esv

He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

John 21:6 nlt

Then he said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get some!" So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

John 21 verses

John 21 6 Meaning

John 21:6 describes the miraculous catch of fish by the disciples, instructed by the resurrected Jesus. After toiling all night without success, they obeyed Jesus' specific command to cast their net on the right side of the boat, resulting in such an overwhelming abundance of fish that they were unable to haul it in. This event serves as a powerful demonstration of Jesus' divine authority, sovereign provision, and the fruitfulness that accompanies obedience to His word, even in seemingly ordinary and familiar tasks. It restores the disciples' faith and foreshadows their future mission as "fishers of men," blessed with a harvest beyond their human capacity.

John 21 6 Context

This verse is part of the final chapter of John's Gospel, depicting Jesus' third post-resurrection appearance to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee. Following the tumultuous events of the crucifixion and resurrection, the disciples, particularly Peter, have returned to their former livelihood of fishing. They fished fruitlessly all night, experiencing discouragement and failure, symbolizing their disorientation and limited capacity without Jesus. Jesus, initially unrecognized from the shore, provides a divine instruction that directly leads to an overflowing catch, serving to restore their hope, remind them of His continued presence and power, and set the stage for Peter's reinstatement and the subsequent Great Commission, affirming the shift from literal fishing to spiritual evangelism. The historical context reflects a time when many disciples, after Jesus' death, might have considered returning to their old ways of life, requiring a renewed encounter with their resurrected Lord to firmly establish their new calling.

John 21 6 Word analysis

• He said: (Greek: λέγει, legei) – Present tense, indicating immediate, authoritative, and direct communication from Jesus, the active agent.
• to them: (Greek: αὐτοῖς, autois) – Refers specifically to the disciples in the boat, highlighting Jesus' personal engagement with them even when unrecognized.
• Cast: (Greek: βάλετε, balete) – An aorist imperative, a direct command for a decisive, once-for-all action, requiring immediate obedience despite their prior night-long futility.
• the net: (Greek: τὸ δίκτυον, to diktyon) – Refers to their existing fishing net, the same instrument they had been using without success, emphasizing that the change was not in the tool but in the instruction.
• on the right side: (Greek: εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη, eis ta dexia merē) – The specific and precise instruction. The "right side" (from dexios) in biblical culture often denotes favor, blessing, strength, or correctness (Ps 110:1; Matt 25:33). It contrasts with their humanly chosen and failed methods, implying a divine and chosen direction.
• of the boat: (Greek: τοῦ πλοίου, tou ploiou) – Specifies the immediate context of their effort, limiting their focus and showing the localized nature of the miracle.
• and you will find some: (Greek: καὶ εὑρήσετε, kai heurēsete) – A definite promise, not a suggestion or hope. "You will find" (future indicative) guarantees success and shows Jesus' omniscience and power over creation, a direct and immediate result of their obedience. The word "some" is often supplied in English, but the Greek literally implies simply "you will find" (i.e., fish), the outcome being understood.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• He said to them, "Cast the net": This simple declarative introduction immediately establishes Jesus' divine authority and initiative. His word transforms a barren situation into one of abundance, demonstrating that fruitfulness stems from following His commands, not from human effort alone.
• "on the right side of the boat, and you will find some": This phrase emphasizes the necessity of precise, obedient action aligned with divine instruction. The "right side" can be interpreted metaphorically as aligning with God's will and timing. The promise of "you will find" highlights the certainty of divine provision when human effort is directed by divine wisdom, overcoming prior natural limitations and showing Christ's ultimate control over the natural world.
• "So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish": This entire phrase describes the immediate, overwhelming, and supernatural result of their obedience. The sudden, immense "quantity of fish" (plēthos) signifies an abundance beyond natural explanation or their physical capacity, testifying to the miraculous power of the resurrected Christ. Their previous inability to catch anything for an entire night sharply contrasts with their current inability to retrieve the net due to sheer abundance.

John 21 6 Bonus section

The seemingly trivial detail of "the right side" takes on greater significance when contrasted with their previous attempts which yielded nothing. This implies that success and fruitfulness in God's economy are not achieved by random efforts or simply trying harder, but by aligning with God's specific and divinely guided will. While the Bible does not explicitly define the "left side" as associated with negativity here, the choice of "right" (δεξιὰ) aligns with broader biblical symbolism where the right hand denotes favor, power, and blessing, emphasizing that Jesus' instruction was not merely a tactical suggestion but a specific, divinely ordained directive for abundant success. This divine specificity, rather than general good intentions, is often the key to unlocking spiritual and material fruitfulness under God's blessing.

John 21 6 Commentary

John 21:6 brilliantly encapsulates themes of divine sovereignty, miraculous provision, and the necessity of obedient faith. After a night of human toil and failure, Jesus, though unrecognized, directs His disciples with a specific and simple command. Their immediate obedience, born perhaps out of desperation or lingering hope, unlocks an overwhelming blessing far exceeding their natural ability and expectation. This moment powerfully underscores that true fruitfulness in life and ministry does not come from relentless effort or expert technique alone, but from submitting to and following Christ's specific instructions. It serves as a personal renewal for the disheartened disciples, especially Peter, foreshadowing the immense "harvest" of souls they would later experience as fishers of men, not through their own strength, but by the power and direction of their resurrected Lord. The sheer quantity of fish signifies God's overflowing grace and the boundless capacity of His blessings.