BWE - John - 21

21:1  The next time the disciples saw Jesus was at the Sea of Tiberias. This is how Jesus showed himself to them.

21:2  Some of the disciples were in one place. They were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples of Jesus.

21:3  Simon Peter said to the others, ‘I am going fishing.’ The others said, ‘We are going with you also.’ They went out in a boat right away. That night they caught nothing.

21:4  Early in the morning, Jesus was standing there by the sea. The disciples did not know it was Jesus.

21:5  He said to them, ‘My children, did you catch any fish?’ They answered, ‘No.’

21:6  He said to them, ‘Throw out your net on the right side of the boat, then you will catch some.’ They threw out their net and caught many fish, so that they were not able to bring in the net.

21:7  That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he put on his coat and his belt. He had taken off some clothes to work. Then he jumped into the water.

21:8  The other disciples came in a small boat. They were pulling the net. It was full of fish. They were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards.

21:9  When they came to the land, they saw a small fire. Fish and some bread lay on the fire.

21:10  Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.’

21:11  Simon Peter went to the boat. He pulled the net to land. It was full of big fish. There were a hundred and fifty three fish. But even with so many fish the net did not break.

21:12  Jesus said to them, ‘Come and eat.’ The disciples were all afraid to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord.

21:13  Jesus came. He took bread and gave it to them. Then he took fish and gave it to them.

21:14  This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after he had risen from death.

21:15  After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I like you. I am your friend.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’

21:16  He asked him the second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter said, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I like you. I am your friend.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Take care of my sheep.’

21:17  Then he asked Peter the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you like me?’ Peter was sad because of the way Jesus asked him the third time. So he answered him, ‘Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you as a close friend’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.

21:18  I tell you the truth. When you were young, you put on your own belt. You went where you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will put out your hands. Others will put your belt on for you. They will take you where you do not want to go.’

21:19  Jesus said this to show how Peter would die and make God’s name great. When he had finished saying this, he said to him, ‘Come and follow me!’

21:20  Peter turned around. The disciple whom Jesus loved was coming with Jesus also. He was the one who was at Jesus’ right side at the supper table. He had said to Jesus, ‘Lord, who will give you over to people who hate you?’

21:21  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?’

21:22  Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to wait till I come, what is that to you? I want you to come and follow me.’

21:23  So the report went around among the brothers that that disciple would not die. Jesus had not said to him, ‘You will not die.’ But he had said, ‘If I want him to wait till I come, what is that to you?’

21:24  The same disciple said these things and wrote them. We know what he said is true.

21:25  Jesus did many other things also. If every one were written down, I think that the world would be too small to hold all the books that would need to be written. Yes, it is so!