John 21:15-23

New American Standard Bible

The Love Question

¹⁵ Now when they had ^(A)finished breakfast, Jesus *said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you ^[a](B)love Me more than these?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[b]love You.” He *said to him, “Tend ^(C)My lambs.” ¹⁶ He *said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you ^[c]love Me?” He *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I ^[d]love You.” He *said to him, “^(D)Shepherd My sheep.” ¹⁷ He *said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you ^[e]love Me?” Peter was ^[f]hurt because He said to him ^(E)the third time, “Do you ^[g]love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, ^(F)You know all things; You know that I ^[h]love You.” Jesus *said to him, “^(G)Tend My sheep.

Our Times Are in His Hand

¹⁸ Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹ Now He said this, ^(H)indicating by ^(I)what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He *said to him, “^(J)Follow Me!”

²⁰ Peter turned around and *saw the ^(K)disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who also had ^(L)leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?” ²¹ So Peter, upon seeing him, *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” ²² Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain ^(M)until I come, what is that to you? You ^(N)follow Me!” ²³ Therefore this ^[i]account went out among ^(O)the brothers, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain ^(P)until I come, what is that to you?”