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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Yhn C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16 C17 C18 C19 C20 C21
Yhn 21 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11 V12 V13 V14 V16 V17 V18 V19 V20 V21 V22 V23 V24 V25
OET (OET-LV) Therefore when they_ate_lunch, the Yaʸsous is_saying to_ the _Simōn Petros:
Simōn son of_Yōannaʸs, are_you_loving me more than these?
He_is_saying to_him:
Yes, master, you have_known that I_am_loving you.
He_is_saying to_him:
Be_feeding the lambs of_me.
OET (OET-RV) While they were eating, Yeshua asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Yohan, do you love me more than these?”
¶ Peter answered, “Yes, master, you know that I love you.”
¶ Yeshua responded, “Feed my lambs.”
After breakfast Jesus spoke with Simon Peter, restoring him and encouraging him. Three times he asked if Peter, calling him Simon, loved him. When Peter said that he did, Jesus told him to feed or care for his sheep, meaning his followers.
Here are other possible section headings:
Jesus asked Peter if he loved him
Jesus again gave Peter a ministry
Jesus asked Peter to feed his sheep
Just before Jesus’ death, Peter had denied knowing him. Now Jesus spoke with Peter. He restored their relationship and gave him a ministry in which Peter could serve him.
In this paragraph Jesus asked Peter three questions, and Peter replied each time. Each question and answer used one of two different Greek words that the BSB translates as “love.” Jesus used one word (agapaō) when he asked the first two questions. He used the other Greek word (phileō) when he asked the third question. Peter used the second word in all his answers. There are two ways to interpret the word choice here:
Both words mean the same thing. In this context (as in other places in John) they are used as synonyms. For example:
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” (NCV) (BSB, GNT, ESV, NLT, RSV, NRSV, NIV2011, KJV, NASB, REB, NJB, GW, NCV, CEV)
One Greek word refers to a stronger love than the other. Jesus used the stronger word (agapaō) in his first two questions. All the other times that the word “love” appears, it is the weaker Greek word. This second word (phileō) means “to be fond of” or “to be a friend.” For example:
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” (NIV84) (NIV84)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) and most Bible scholars.See the footnote in the NET (21:15, footnote d) and Carson for more details. You may follow this interpretation by using the same word for love or by using synonyms. Do what is more natural in your language. For example:
do you love me?…am I dear to you?
When they had finished eating,
¶ When they finished eating breakfast,
¶ After the meal
When they had finished eating: This clause introduces the next event in the story, after the men finished eating. The Greek verb that the BSB translates as they had finished eating is from the same verb root as “have breakfast” in 21:12a. Here are other ways to translate this clause:
When they had finished breakfast (NRSV)
When they had eaten (NJB)
After breakfast (NLT)
they: Because this is a new paragraph, it may be natural to say whom the pronoun they refers to. For example:
Jesus and his disciples (CEV)
Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?”
Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you(sing) love me more than they do?”
Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Do you love(sing) me any more than these other disciples/followers love me?”
Jesus asked Simon Peter: This phrase introduces the conversation between Jesus and Peter. Refer to Peter with both his names, as in 21:2.
Simon son of John: Jesus addressed Peter using his Hebrew name and the name of his father. His father’s name is slightly different than the name given in Matthew 16:17 (“Jonah”), but you should use John here.
do you love Me more than these?: Jesus asked Peter about the strength of his love for him. For a discussion of the word love, see the note on Paragraph 21:15–19 above. There are two ways to understand what the phrase more than these means here:
It means more than the other disciples love me. For example:
do you love me more than these others do? (GNT) (GNT, REB, NET, CEV, NJB, GW)
It means more than you love anything else, including fish and fishing, and the other disciples.
If it is natural to leave the meaning ambiguous, as in the Greek, the BSB, and many other English translations, that is good. But if you must choose one interpretation, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). That is the interpretation that many Bible scholars and English translations follow.
“Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.”
Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you(sing) know that I love you.”
“Yes, my Lord, I do,” Peter answered. “You(sing) know that I love you.”
Yes, Lord: Peter indicated that he loved Jesus even more than the other disciples did. The Greek word that the BSB translates as Lord means “master, one who has authority over others.” See how you translated this word in 6:68, 9:38, and 21:12. Here are other ways to translate this word:
Chief
My Master
he answered: The pronoun he refers to Peter. It may be helpful to make this pronoun explicit. For example:
Peter replied to Jesus
Peter answered him
You know I love You: The Greek text emphasizes the first You in this clause. Peter believed that Jesus already knew that he loved Jesus. Peter used a different Greek word for love than Jesus used, but in this context its meaning is the same. See the note on Paragraph 21:15–19 above. If it is natural to use a synonym (another word that means the same thing), that is acceptable. But use a word or phrase that has the same basic meaning. For example:
you know that I care about you deeply
you know that you are dear to me
Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”
Jesus said to him, “Give(sing) food to my flock.”
Jesus told him, “Provide(sing) for the needs of my people like a shepherd provides for his lambs.”
Feed My lambs: This clause is a metaphor. The word lambs refers to Jesus’ people, his followers. The word Feed here refers to taking care of Jesus’ people’s spiritual needs. Jesus wanted Peter to lead, teach, encourage, and advise his other followers. Here are other ways to translate this metaphor:
Keep the metaphor. For example:
Feed my young sheep.
Explain all or part of the meaning of the metaphor. For example:
Take care of my lambs. (GNT)
Change all or part of the metaphor into a simile. For example:
Take care of my people as a shepherd takes care of his lambs.
Act as/like a shepherd to my people. They are like my lambs.
Feeding Jesus’ lambs was what Peter should do because he loved Jesus. You may want to indicate the connection with 21:15c by using a connector. For example:
Then feed my lambs. (NLT)
Feed: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as Feed means to take care of animals, including feeding them. See Matthew 8:33 and Luke 15:15, where the same verb is used. Here is another way to translate this word:
Take care of (GNT)
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / pastforfuture
λέγει & λέγει & λέγει
˓is˒_saying & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτε Οὖν ἠρίστησαν λέγει τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Σίμων Ἰωάννου ἀγαπᾷς μέ πλέον τούτων Λέγει αὐτῷ Ναί Κύριε σύ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σέ Λέγει αὐτῷ Βόσκε τά ἀρνία μού)
Here John uses the present tense in past narration in order to call attention to a development in the story.
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἀγαπᾷς με & φιλῶ σε
˱you˲_˓are˒_loving (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτε Οὖν ἠρίστησαν λέγει τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Σίμων Ἰωάννου ἀγαπᾷς μέ πλέον τούτων Λέγει αὐτῷ Ναί Κύριε σύ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σέ Λέγει αὐτῷ Βόσκε τά ἀρνία μού)
The two occurrences of love in this verse are two different words in the original language. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could show this in your translation. See the discussion of this concept in the General Notes for this chapter. Alternate translation: [do you love me with great esteem … I love you with affection] or [do you love me deeply … I love you like a friend]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
πλέον τούτων
more_‹than› these
Here, these could refer to: (1) the other disciples who were there with Jesus and Peter. This meaning would indicate Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Jesus more than the other disciples love him. Alternate translation: [more than these disciples love me] (2) the fish, boat, and other equipment that were used for catching fish, which was Peter’s former job. Alternate translation: [more than these fishing tools] or [more than your former job]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτε Οὖν ἠρίστησαν λέγει τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς Σίμων Ἰωάννου ἀγαπᾷς μέ πλέον τούτων Λέγει αὐτῷ Ναί Κύριε σύ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σέ Λέγει αὐτῷ Βόσκε τά ἀρνία μού)
Jesus uses Feed my lambs to refer to providing for the spiritual needs of people who trust in Jesus. Here Jesus is commanding Peter to take care of other believers in the same way that Jesus took care of them while he was with them. If this might confuse your readers, you could express the meaning plainly or use a simile. Alternate translation: [Take care of the people who believe in me like a shepherd feeds lambs]
21:15 more than these? Or more than these others do? Jesus was reminding Peter of his insistence that he would be more faithful and courageous than the others (13:37; Matt 26:33; Mark 14:29). He was urging Peter to examine himself.
OET (OET-LV) Therefore when they_ate_lunch, the Yaʸsous is_saying to_ the _Simōn Petros:
Simōn son of_Yōannaʸs, are_you_loving me more than these?
He_is_saying to_him:
Yes, master, you have_known that I_am_loving you.
He_is_saying to_him:
Be_feeding the lambs of_me.
OET (OET-RV) While they were eating, Yeshua asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Yohan, do you love me more than these?”
¶ Peter answered, “Yes, master, you know that I love you.”
¶ Yeshua responded, “Feed my lambs.”
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.