# John 21.16

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-08-18 | updated: 2026-08-18 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 14. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 15. So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, <span class="rl-speech">Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these?</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Feed my lambs.</span>
>
> **16. He saith to him again a second time, <span class="rl-speech">Simon, son of John, lovest thou me?</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Tend my sheep.</span>**
>
> 17. He saith unto him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">Simon, son of John, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because</span> he said unto him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">Lovest thou me?</span> And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Feed my sheep.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.</span> (John 21:14-18, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 14. This is now the third time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples, after he had risen from the dead. 15. So when they had eaten their breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, <span class="rl-speech">“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me more than these?”</span> He said to him, <span class="rl-speech">“Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”</span> He said to him, <span class="rl-speech">“Feed my lambs.”</span>
>
> **16. He said to him again a second time, <span class="rl-speech">“Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?”</span> He said to him, <span class="rl-speech">“Yes, Lord; you know that I have affection for you.”</span> He said to him, <span class="rl-speech">“Tend my sheep.”</span>**
>
> 17. He said to him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">“Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?”</span> Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">“Do you have affection for me?”</span> He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, <span class="rl-speech">“Feed my sheep.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">Most certainly I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself, and walked where you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you, and carry you where you don’t want to go.”</span> (John 21:14-18, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 14. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 15. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, <span class="rl-speech">Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Feed my lambs.</span>
>
> **16. He saith to him again the second time, <span class="rl-speech">Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.</span> He saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Feed my sheep.</span>**
>
> 17. He saith unto him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because</span> he said unto him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">Lovest thou me?</span> And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, <span class="rl-speech">Feed my sheep.</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.</span> (John 21:14-18, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 14. this [is] now a third time Jesus was manifested to his disciples, having been raised from the dead. 15. When, therefore, they dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, <span class="rl-speech">'Simon, [son] of Jonas, dost thou love me more than these?'</span> he saith to him, <span class="rl-speech">'Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;'</span> he saith to him, <span class="rl-speech">'Feed my lambs.'</span>
>
> **16. He saith to him again, <span class="rl-speech">a second time, 'Simon, [son] of Jonas, dost thou love me?'</span> he saith to him, <span class="rl-speech">'Yes, Lord; thou hast known that I dearly love thee;'</span> he saith to him, <span class="rl-speech">'Tend my sheep.'</span>**
>
> 17. He saith to him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">'Simon, [son] of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?'</span> Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, <span class="rl-speech">'Dost thou dearly love me?'</span> and he said to him, 'Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.' Jesus saith to him, <span class="rl-speech">'Feed my sheep;</span> 18. <span class="rl-speech">verily, verily, I say to thee, When thou wast younger, thou wast girding thyself and wast walking whither thou didst will, but when thou mayest be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another will gird thee, and shall carry [thee] whither thou dost not will;'</span> (John 21:14-18, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._

- [G0025 - agapao](/codex/g0025-agapao/), *agapao*, Strong's G0025
- [G1492 - oida](/codex/g1492-oida/), *oida*, Strong's G1492
- [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/), *kyrios*, Strong's G2962
- [G3004 - lego](/codex/g3004-lego/), *lego*, Strong's G3004

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Argument from the Resurrection](/codex/argument-from-the-resurrection/), via [John 21.1-23](/codex/john-21-1-23/)
- [Theological Fatalism Objection Defeater](/codex/theological-fatalism-objection-defeater/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 21](/codex/john-21/)
- [Papacy](/codex/papacy/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)
- [Pastor](/codex/pastor/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)
- [Petrine Primacy](/codex/petrine-primacy/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)
- [Theological Fatalism](/codex/theological-fatalism/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)
- [Vatican I](/codex/vatican-i/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)

**People:**

- [Peter the Apostle](/codex/peter-the-apostle/), via [John 21.15-19](/codex/john-21-15-19/)

**Lexicon:**

- [G0025 - agapao](/codex/g0025-agapao/), via [John 21.15-17](/codex/john-21-15-17/)

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## Notes

_Your annotations._

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.