Beloved Disciple* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Designation of one disciple, evidently the author of the Gospel of John (Jn 21:20-24). Five passages in John’s Gospel mention the disciple whom Jesus loved: (1) The disciple whom Jesus loved lay close to Jesus’ chest during the Last Supper and was beckoned by Peter to ask Jesus who the betrayer would be (13:21-26). (2) The disciple whom Jesus loved stood near the cross, and Mary the mother of Jesus was given to his care (19:25-27). (3) Mary Magdalene came to Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved, reporting that Jesus’ body was missing from the tomb (20:2). (4) The disciple whom Jesus loved was in a fishing boat with Peter and the other disciples and recognized Jesus standing on the shore (21:7). (5) The disciple whom Jesus loved was following Jesus by the lakeshore, and the author reminded his readers that this was the same disciple spoken of at the Last Supper (21:20-23; cf. 13:21-26).

Show passage in OET: JHN 21:20–24

OET-RV JHN 21:20

20 When Kefa turned around he saw that the apprentice that Yeshua loved was following them—the one who’d leaned on Yeshua’s chest during the supper and asked who the one was who would turn Yeshua over.

OET-RV JHN 21:21

21 Noticing him, Kefa asked Yeshua, “Master, what about that one?”

OET-RV JHN 21:22

22 But Yeshua replied, “If I want him to stay alive until I come back, what business would it be of yours? You just stay following me.”

OET-RV JHN 21:23

23 As a result of that, a rumour went around the others that that one wouldn’t die, but Yeshua never said that. (He only said, “If I want him to stay alive until I come back, what business would it be of yours?”)

OET-RV JHN 21:24

24 This author is the apprentice that testifies about these things—the one who wrote this down and whose account is true.

OET-LV JHN 21:20

20 Having _been _turned _back, the Petros is _seeing the apprentice/follower whom the Yaʸsous was _loving who also sat _down at the supper on the chest of _him following, and said:
master, who is, the one giving_ you _over?

OET-LV JHN 21:21

21 Therefore having _seen this one, the Petros is _saying to_ the _Yaʸsous:
master, and what about this one?

OET-LV JHN 21:22

22 The Yaʸsous is _saying to _him:
If I _may _be _wanting him to _be _remaining until I _am _coming, what is _it to you?
You be _following after _me.

OET-LV JHN 21:23

23 Therefore this the statement came _out among the brothers, that the that apprentice/follower is _dying _off.
Not but the Yaʸsous not said to _him that He _is_ not _dying _off, but only:
If I _may _be _wanting him to _be _remaining until I _am _coming, what is _it to you?

OET-LV JHN 21:24

24 This one is the apprentice/follower which testifying concerning these things, and the one having _written these things, and we _have _known that the testimony of _him is true.

Show passage in OET: JHN 13:21–26

OET-RV JHN 13:21

21 After saying these things, Yeshua’s (Jesus’; Grk. Yesus’) thoughts were troubled and he said, “I can assure you that one of you will be turning me in.”

OET-RV JHN 13:22

22 This made his apprentices glance around at each other, puzzled about which one he was talking about.

OET-RV JHN 13:23

23 One of them that Yeshua especially liked, was leaning against him at the table.

OET-RV JHN 13:24

24 So Shim’on (Simon) Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) nodded to him to find out who Yeshua had been talking about,

OET-RV JHN 13:25

25 and he leaned back on Yeshua and asked quietly, “Master, who is it?”

OET-RV JHN 13:26

26 “It’s the one I hand this piece of bread to after I’ve dipped it in the sauce,” Yeshua answered. Then after dipping his piece of bread in, he gave it to Yehudah (Judas; Grk. Yudas) Iskariot.

OET-LV JHN 13:21

21 Having _said these things, the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) was _disturbed the in _spirit and testified and said:
Truly, truly, I _am _saying to _you _all that one of you _all will _be _giving_ me _over.

OET-LV JHN 13:22

22 Therefore the apprentices/followers were _looking among one _another, perplexing about whom he _is _speaking.

OET-LV JHN 13:23

23 And one out _of the apprentices/followers whom the Yaʸsous was _loving was reclining in the bosom of _him of_ the _Yaʸsous.

OET-LV JHN 13:24

24 Therefore Simōn Petros is _nodding to _this one, to _inquire who wishfully it _might _be about whom he _is _speaking.

OET-LV JHN 13:25

25 therefore that one Having _leaned _back thus on the chest of_ the _Yaʸsous, is _saying to _him:
master, who is _it?

OET-LV JHN 13:26

26 the Yaʸsous is _answering:
That one is to _whom I, having _dipped the piece _of _bread will _be _handing _out it.
And having _dipped the piece _of _bread, he _is _giving to _Youdas/(Yəhūdāh) of _Simōn Iskariōtaʸs.

Show passage in OET: JHN 19:25–27

OET-RV JHN 19:25

25 Meanwhile a group of women had stayed standing near Yeshua on the stake: his mother and his aunt, Miryam (Grk. Maria /Mariam) the wife of Klopas, and Miryam from Magdala.

OET-RV JHN 19:26

26 When Yeshua saw his mother and also the apprentice that he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Look, he’ll be your son.”

OET-RV JHN 19:27

27 And to the apprentice he said, “Look, she’ll be your mother.” And that apprentice took her into his own home from then on.

OET-LV JHN 19:25

25 On _the _other _hand the mother of _him had _stood by the stake of_ the _Yaʸsous, and the sister of _the mother of _him, Maria/(Miryām) the wife of_ the _Clopas, and Maria the from _Magdala.

OET-LV JHN 19:26

26 Yaʸsous therefore having _seen his mother, and the apprentice/follower having _stood _by whom he _was _loving, is _saying to _the mother:
Woman, see, the son of _you.

OET-LV JHN 19:27

27 Thereafter he _is _saying to _the apprentice/follower:
Behold, the mother of _you.
And from that the hour took the apprentice/follower her to his own.

Show passage in OET: JHN 20:2

OET-RV JHN 20:2

2 So she ran quickly and went to Shim’on (Simon) Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros) and the other apprentice that Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) loved, and told them, “They’ve taken the master’s body out of the tomb and we don’t know where they’ve put it.”

OET-LV JHN 20:2

2 Therefore she _is _running and is _coming to Simōn Petros, and to the other apprentice/follower whom was _loving the Yaʸsous, and she _is _saying to _them:
They _took _away the master out _of the tomb, and we _have_ not _known where they _laid him.

Show passage in OET: JHN 21:7

OET-RV JHN 21:7

7 Now the apprentice that Yeshua loved said to Kefa, “It’s the master!” When Shim’on Kefa heard that, he put on his robe (because he didn’t have it on), and jumped overboard into the lake.

OET-LV JHN 21:7

7 Therefore the apprentice/follower that whom the Yaʸsous was _loving is _saying to_ the _Petros:
It _is the master.
Therefore Simōn Petros having _heard that it _is the master, girded his outer _garment, because/for he _was naked, and throw himself into the sea.

Show passage in OET: JHN 21:20–23

OET-RV JHN 21:20

OET-RV JHN 21:21

21 Noticing him, Kefa asked Yeshua, “Master, what about that one?”

OET-RV JHN 21:22

22 But Yeshua replied, “If I want him to stay alive until I come back, what business would it be of yours? You just stay following me.”

OET-RV JHN 21:23

OET-LV JHN 21:20

OET-LV JHN 21:21

21 Therefore having _seen this one, the Petros is _saying to_ the _Yaʸsous:
master, and what about this one?

OET-LV JHN 21:22

22 The Yaʸsous is _saying to _him:
If I _may _be _wanting him to _be _remaining until I _am _coming, what is _it to you?
You be _following after _me.

OET-LV JHN 21:23

Jump to OET JHN 21:20–24 section.

Jump to OET JHN 13:21–26 section.

Jump to OET JHN 19:25–27 section.

Jump to OET JHN 20:2 section.

Jump to OET JHN 21:7 section.

Jump to OET JHN 21:20–23 section.

Because the phrase is found only in John’s Gospel, could it be the author’s way of referring to himself? Several passages make that seem very likely.

A list of names given in John 21:2 indicates that the disciples present at the lakeshore were Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee (James and John), and two others. Evidently the beloved disciple was one of the sons of Zebedee or else one of the two unnamed disciples.

Show passage in OET: JHN 21:2

OET-RV JHN 21:2

2 Shim’on (Simon) Kefa (Peter; Grk. Petros), Toma (Thomas) nicknamed ‘Twin’, Netanel (Nathanael) from Kana in Galil, the sons of Zavday (Grk. Zebedaios), and two other apprentices had gathered together

OET-LV JHN 21:2

2 Simōn Petros, and Thōmas which being _called Didumos/[twin], and Nathanaaʸl the one from Kana of_ the _Galilaia/(Gālīl), and the sons the of _Zebedaios, and two others of the apprentices/followers of _him.
were together.

Jump to OET JHN 21:2 section.

The beloved disciple was almost certainly one of the Twelve, since he was present at the Last Supper, and evidently only the 12 disciples were there with Jesus (Mt 26:20; Mk 14:17-20; Lk 22:14, 30 OET LUK 22:14 · OET LUK 22:30). That eliminates Lazarus and John Mark, who have sometimes been suggested as possibilities for the beloved disciple.

Show passage in OET: MAT 26:20

OET-RV MAT 26:20

20 That evening as Yeshua was sitting with the twelve,

OET-LV MAT 26:20

20 And having _become evening, he _was _reclining with the twelve,

Show passage in OET: MRK 14:17–20

OET-RV MRK 14:17

17 As the evening approached, Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) went in for dinner with his twelve apprentices.

OET-RV MRK 14:18

18 As they were sitting around eating, he told them, “I’ll tell you frankly that one of you eating with me here will hand me over to be arrested.”

OET-RV MRK 14:19

19 That upset them, and several of them individually asked, “Surely it couldn’t be me?”

OET-RV MRK 14:20

20 Then he continued, “It’s one of you twelve—the one who dips his bread in the sauce at the same time as me.

OET-LV MRK 14:17

17 And of _evening having _become, he _is _coming with the twelve.

OET-LV MRK 14:18

18 And them reclining and eating, the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) said:
Truly, I _am _saying to _you _all that one of you _all will _be _giving_ me _over, the one eating with me.

OET-LV MRK 14:19

19 They _began to _be _being _sorrowed, and to _be _saying to _him one by one:
Surely _not I?

OET-LV MRK 14:20

20 And he said to _them:
one of _the twelve it _is, the one dipping _in with me in the bowl.

Show passage in OET: LUK 22:14; LUK 22:30

OET-RV LUK 22:14

14 When it was time to eat, Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) and his apprentices sat down together

OET-RV LUK 22:30

30 so that you all will be able to eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you’ll sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Yisrael (Israel).

OET-LV LUK 22:14

14 And when the hour became, he _sat _down and the ambassadors with him.

OET-LV LUK 22:30

30 in _order _that you _all _may _be _eating and you _all _may _be _drinking at the table of _me in the kingdom of _me, and you _all _are _sitting on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of_ the _Israaʸl/(Yisrā^ʼēl).

Jump to OET MAT 26:20 section.

Jump to OET MRK 14:17–20 section.

Jump to OET LUK 22:14 section. · OET LUK 22:30 section.

The beloved disciple appeared to be close to Peter (Jn 13:23-24; 20:2; 21:7; see also Acts 3; 8:14; Gal 2:9). Matthew, Mark, and Luke record that Peter, James, and John were constantly selected by Jesus to be with him. Since Peter was mentioned in connection with the disciple whom Jesus loved, and since James was martyred early (Acts 12:2), only John is left as a reasonable possibility—if, as is generally regarded, John’s Gospel was written long after James’s death.