John 21:17

After that, Jesus asked him again, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Then Peter got a bit upset because Jesus asked him 3 times, “Do you love me?” So Peter said, “Sir, you know everything, and you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “All right, you have to look after my people properly, just like a shepherd takes his sheep to good grass for them to eat.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

In Context

16Then Jesus asked him again, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said, “Yes, sir, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “All right, you have to take care of my people properly, just like a shepherd looks after his sheep.”

18Listen Peter, I’m telling you straight. When you were a young man, you tied your own rope belt around you, and you went wherever you wanted to go. But after you get old, you will hold out your hands, and somebody else will tie a rope around you, and he will take you to a place where you don’t want to go.”

Read all of John 21

Cross References

Matthew 25:40I will say to them, ‘Listen. You did all these things to help my followers. They were not important people, but they were mine, so every time you helped them, you helped me at the same time.’

Mark 14:72Straight away, that chook yelled out again. Then Peter remembered the words Jesus said to him before, “Tonight you will tell people that you don’t know me. You will say that 3 times, and then a chook will yell out 2 times.” When Peter remembered these words, he was very sad, and he cried a lot.

Matthew Henry on John 21:16-20

Christ's Discourse with Peter. 15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

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