John 21 · Verse 2

John 21:2

There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
John 21:2, King James Version

John 21:2 in other translations

BSBSimon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
WEBSimon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
ASVThere were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.
YLTThere were together Simon Peter, and Thomas who is called Didymus, and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.
DARBYThere were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael who was of Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.
BBESimon Peter, Thomas named Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were all together.
WebsterThere were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.

What does John 21:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 21:1-2

Joh 21:1-23. Supplementary Particulars. (That this chapter was added by another hand has been asserted, against clear evidence to the contrary, by some late critics, chiefly because the Evangelist had concluded his part of the work with Joh 20:30, 31. But neither in the Epistles of the New Testament, nor in other good authors, is it unusual to insert supplementary matter, and so have more than one conclusion). 1-2…

Read the full comment on John 21:1-2 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 2. There were together. Probably residing in the same place. While they were waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit, they still found it proper to be usefully employed. Their Master had been taken away by death, and the promised Spirit had not descended on them. In the interval---before the promised Spirit was poured upon them-- they chose not to be idle, and therefore returned to their former employment. It is to be remarked, also, that they had no other means of support. While with Jesus, they were commonly supplied by the kindness of the people; but now, when the Saviour had died, they were cut off from this means of support, and returned to the honest labour of their early lives. Moreover, they had been directed by the Saviour to repair to a mountain in Galilee, where he would meet them, Mt 28:10. This was probably not far from the Sea of Galilee, so that, until he came to them, they would naturally be engaged in their old employment. Ministers of the gospel should be willing to labour, if necessary, for their own support, and should not esteem such labour dishonourable. God has made employment indispensable to man, and if the field of labour is not open in one way, they should seek it in another. If at any time the people withhold the supply of their wants, they should be able and willing to seek support in some other honest occupation.

(a) "Nathanael of Cana" Jn 1:45 (b) "the sons of Zebedee" Mt 4:21

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 21:1-14

Christ makes himself known to his people, usually in his ordinances; but sometimes by his Spirit he visits them when employed in their business. It is good for the disciples of Christ to be together in common conversation, and common business. The hour for their entering upon action was not come. They would help to maintain themselves, and not be burdensome to any. Christ's time of making himself known to his…

Read the full comment on John 21:1-14 →

John 21:2 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.

ἦσανēsanThey wereG1510
ὁμοῦhomoutogetherG3674
ΣίμωνSimōnSimonG4613
Πέτρος,PetrosPeter,G4074
καὶkaiandG2532
ΘωμᾶςThōmasThomasG2381
ὁhowhoG3588
λεγόμενοςlegomenosis being namedG3004
Δίδυμος,DidumosDidymus,G1324
καὶkaiandG2532
ΝαθαναὴλNathanaēlNathanaelG3482
ὁho<the>G3588
ἀπὸapofromG575
ΚανὰKanaCanaG2580
τῆςtēs<the>G3588
Γαλιλαίας,Galilaiasof Galilee,G1056
καὶkaiandG2532
οἱhoithe [sons]G3588
τοῦtou<the>G3588
Ζεβεδαίου,Zebedaiouof Zebedee,G2199
καὶkaiandG2532
ἄλλοιalloiothersG243
ἐκekofG1537
τῶνtōntheG3588
μαθητῶνmathētōndisciplesG3101
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
δύο.duotwo.G1417

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

Cross references for John 21:2

  • Matthew 4:21-22

    And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

  • John 4:46

    So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.

  • John 11:16

    Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

  • John 1:45-2:1

    Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. …

  • John 20:28

    And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

  • John 2:11

    This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

  • Luke 5:10

    And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

  • Joshua 19:28

    And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon;

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Thomas.
20:28
Nathanael.
1:45-51
Cana.
2:1,11; 4:46; Jos 19:28
Kanah. the sons.
Mt 4:21,22

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

Context

  • John 21:1

    After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

  • John 21:2

    There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.

  • John 21:3

    Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

Read all of John 21

John 21:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Estaban juntos Simón Pedro, y Tomás, llamado el Dídimo, y Natanael, el que era de Caná de Galilea, y los hijos de Zebedeo, y otros dos de sus discípulos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Simon Pierre, et Thomas, appelé Didyme, et Nathanaël de Cana de Galilée, et les fils de Zébédée, et deux autres de ses disciples étaient ensemble.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Simon Petrus und Thomas, genannt Zwilling, und Nathanael, der von Kana in Galiläa war, und die Söhne des Zebedäus und zwei andere von seinen Jüngern waren zusammen. Simon Petrus spricht zu ihnen:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
erant simul Simon Petrus, et Thomas, qui dicitur Didymus, et Nathanaël, qui erat a Cana Galilææ, et filii Zebedæi, et alii ex discipulis ejus duo.