John 21:17

John 21:17

Jesus Restores Peter

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of¹ Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I² love You.” He said to him, ^a“Feed My lambs.”

16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of¹ Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I² love You.” ^aHe said to him, “Tend My ^bsheep.”

17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of¹ Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, ^aYou know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

18 ^aMost assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”

19 This He spoke, signifying ^aby what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ^b“Follow Me.”

The Beloved Disciple and His Book

20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple ^awhom Jesus loved following, ^bwho also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”

21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

Commentaries:

Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)

<< John 21:16

John 21:18 >>

Lovest thou me? (fileiv me). This time Jesus picks up the word filew used by Peter and challenges that. These two words are often interchanged in the N.T., but here the distinction is preserved. Peter was cut to the heart (eluphqh, first aorist passive of lupew, to grieve) because Jesus challenges this very verb, and no doubt the third question vividly reminds him of the three denials in the early morning by the fire. He repeats his love for Jesus with the plea: "Thou knowest all things."

Feed my sheep (boske ta probatia). Many MSS. both here and in verse John 21:16 read probata (sheep) instead of probatia (little sheep or lambs).

**Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing John 21:17:**

John 5:20
John 13:38
John 20:2
Acts 20:28
1 Peter 5:5
1 John 3:20
Revelation 2:2

<< John 21:16

John 21:18 >>

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