Jesus’ Threefold Restoration of Peter

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John,[a] do you love[b] Me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”

“Feed(A) My lambs,”(B) He told him.

16 A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love(C) Me?”(D)

“Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.”

“Shepherd(E) My sheep,”(F) He told him.

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Footnotes

  1. John 21:15 Other mss read Simon, son of Jonah; Mt 16:17; Jn 1:42
  2. John 21:15 Two synonyms are translated love in this conversation: agapao, the first 2 times by Jesus (vv. 15-16); and phileo, the last time by Jesus (v. 17) and all 3 times by Peter (vv. 15-17). Peter’s threefold confession of love for Jesus corresponds to his earlier threefold denial of Jesus; Jn 18:15-18,25-27.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”(A)

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”(B)

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”(C)

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