John 21 · Verse 17

John 21:17

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.

John 21:17, King James Version

John 21:17 in other translations

BSB	Jesus asked a third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was deeply hurt that Jesus had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
WEB	He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you have affection for me?” Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you have affection for me?” He said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
ASV	He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of John, 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.
YLT	He saith to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?' Peter was grieved that he said to him the third time, ‘Dost thou dearly love me?' and he said to him, ‘Lord, thou hast known all things; thou dost know that I dearly love thee.' Jesus saith to him, ‘Feed my sheep;
DARBY	He says to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, art thou attached to me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, Art thou attached to me? and said to him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I am attached to thee. Jesus says to him, Feed my sheep.
BBE	He said to him a third time, Simon, son of John, am I dear to you? Now Peter was troubled in his heart because he put the question a third time, Am I dear to you? And he said to him, Lord, you have knowledge of all things; you see that you are dear to me. Jesus said to him, Then give my sheep food.
Webster	He saith to him the third time, Simon son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved, because he said to him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said to him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith to him, Feed my sheep.

What does John 21:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 21:15-17

15-17. when they had dined, Jesus saith--Silence appears to have reigned during the meal; unbroken on His part, that by their mute observation of Him they might have their assurance of His identity the more confirmed; and on theirs, from reverential shrinking to speak till He did. Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?--referring lovingly to those sad words of Peter, shortly before denying his Lord…

Read the full comment on John 21:15-17 →

Barnes' Notes

Verse 17. The third time. It is probable that Jesus proposed this question three times because Peter had thrice denied him. Thus he tenderly admonished him of his fault and reminded him of his sin, while he solemnly charged him to be faithful and vigilant in the discharge of the duties of the pastoral office. The reason why the Saviour addressed Peter in this manner was doubtless because he had just denied him--had given a most melancholy instance of the instability and weakness of his faith, and of his liability to fall. As he had thus been prominent in forsaking him, he took this occasion to give to him a special charge, and to secure his future obedience. Hence he so administered the charge as to remind him of his fault; and he made him so prominent as to show the solicitude of the Saviour that henceforward he might not be left to dishonour his high calling. This same charge, in substance, he had on other occasions given to the apostles (Mt 18:18), and there is not the slightest evidence here that Christ intended, as the Papists pretend, to give Peter any peculiar primacy or eminence in the church. The charge to Peter arose, manifestly, from his prominent and melancholy act in denying him, and was the kind and tender means used by a faithful Saviour to keep him from similar acts in the future dangers and trials of life. It is worthy of remark that the admonition was effectual. Henceforward Peter was one of the most firm and unwavering of all the apostles, and thus fully justified the appellation of a rock, which the Saviour by anticipation had given him. Jn 1:42.

(m) "thou knowest all things" Jn 16:30

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 17 Peter was grieved - Fearing, says St. Chrysostom, lest Christ saw something in his heart which he saw not himself, and which might lead to another fall; and that Christ was about to tell him of it, as he had before predicted his denial.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 21:15-19

Our Lord addressed Peter by his original name, as if he had forfeited that of Peter through his denying him. He now answered, Thou knowest that I love thee; but without professing to love Jesus more than others. We must not be surprised to have our sincerity called into question, when we ourselves have done that which makes it doubtful. Every remembrance of past sins, even pardoned sins, renews the sorrow of a true…

Read the full comment on John 21:15-19 →

John 21:17 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

λέγειlegeiHe saysG3004

αὐτῷautōto himG846

τὸtotheG3588

τρίτον·tritonthird time;G5154

ΣίμωνSimōnSimonG4613

Ἰωάννου,Iōannou[son] of John,G2491

φιλεῖςphileisdo you dearly loveG5368

με;meMe?G3165

ἐλυπήθηelupēthēWas grievedG3076

ὁho<the>G3588

ΠέτροςPetrosPeterG4074

ὅτιhotibecauseG3754

εἶπενeipenHe saidG2036

αὐτῷautōto himG846

τὸtotheG3588

τρίτον·tritonthird time;G5154

φιλεῖςphileisDo you dearly loveG5368

με;meMe?G3165

καὶkaiAndG2532

λέγειlegeihe speaksG3004

αὐτῷ·autōto Him;G846

κύριε,kurieLord,G2962

πάνταpantaall thingsG3956

σὺsuYou yourselfG4771

οἶδας,oidasknow,

σὺsuYou yourselfG4771

γινώσκειςginōskeisknowG1097

ὅτιhotithatG3754

φιλῶphilōI dearly loveG5368

σε.seYou.G4771

λέγειlegeiSaysG3004

αὐτῷautōto himG846

ὁho<the>G3588

Ἰησοῦς·IēsousJesus;G2424

βόσκεboskedo feedG1006

τὰtatheG3588

πρόβατάprobatasheepG4263

μου.mouof Mine.G3165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 21:17

John 13:38
Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
John 16:30
Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.
Mark 14:72
And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.
John 15:10
If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
John 14:15
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
2 Peter 1:12-15
Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me. Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
Revelation 2:23
And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
John 18:27
Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
Acts 15:8
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
John 21:15-16
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. 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.
Ephesians 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Acts 1:24
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the third.
13:38; 18:27; Mt 26:73,74; Re 3:19
grieved.
1Ki 17:18; La 3:33; Mt 26:75; Mr 14:72; Lu 22:61,62; 2Co 2:4-7
2Co 7:8-11; Eph 4:30; 1Pe 1:6
Lord.
2:24,25; 16:30; 18:4; Jer 17:10; Ac 1:24; 15:8; Re 2:23
thou knowest that.
15; Jos 22:22; 1Ch 29:17; Job 31:4-6; Ps 7:8,9; 17:3; 2Co 1:12
Feed.
15,16; 12:8; 14:15; 15:10; Mt 25:40; 2Co 8:8,9; 2Pe 1:12-15; 3:1
1Jo 3:16-24; 3Jo 1:7,8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

John 21:16
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.
John 21:17
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.
John 21:18
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.

Read all of John 21

John 21:17 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Dícele la tercera vez: Simón, hijo de Jonás, ¿me amas? Entristecióse Pedro de que le dijese la tercera vez: ¿Me amas? y dícele: Señor, tú sabes todas las cosas; tú sabes que te amo. Dícele Jesús: Apacienta mis ovejas.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Il lui dit pour la troisième fois: Simon, fils de Jonas, m’aimes-tu? Pierre fut attristé de ce qu’il lui disait pour la troisième fois: M’aimes-tu? Et il lui dit: Seigneur, tu connais toutes choses, tu sais que je t’aime. Jésus lui dit: Pais mes brebis.
German Elberfelder 1871	Er spricht zum dritten Male zu ihm: Simon, Sohn Jonas, hast du mich lieb? Petrus wurde traurig, daß er zum dritten Male zu ihm sagte: Hast du mich lieb? und sprach zu ihm: Herr, du weißt alles; du erkennst, daß ich dich lieb habe. Jesus spricht zu ihm: Weide meine Schafe.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Dicit ei tertio: Simon Joannis, amas me? Contristatus est Petrus, quia dixit ei tertio: Amas me? et dixit ei: Domine, tu omnia nosti, tu scis quia amo te. Dixit ei: Pasce oves meas.