John 21:18

Listen 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.”

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

17After 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.

19Jesus said that to tell Peter how Peter will die, and when Peter dies like that, he will show that God is really great. Then Jesus told Peter, “Keep on following me.”

Read all of John 21

Cross References

John 13:36Peter asked Jesus, “Sir, where are you going?” Jesus said to him, “You can’t follow me yet to the place where I am going. But you will follow me later.”

Acts 21:11He came to us, and he took off Paul’s belt. Then he tied his own feet and hands together with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says this, ‘See the man that owns this belt. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will tie him up, just like this, and they will give him as a prisoner to the people that are not Jews.’”

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

Study John 21:18