John 21 · Verse 20

John 21:20

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
John 21:20, King James Version

John 21:20 in other translations

BSBPeter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
WEBThen Peter, turning around, saw a disciple following. This was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also leaned on Jesus’ chest at the supper and asked, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”
ASVPeter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who also leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee?
YLTAnd Peter having turned about doth see the disciple whom Jesus was loving following, (who also reclined in the supper on his breast, and said, ‘Sir, who is he who is delivering thee up?')
DARBYPeter, turning round, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned at supper on his breast, and said, Lord, who is it that delivers thee up?
BBEThen Peter, turning round, saw the disciple who was dear to Jesus coming after them--the disciple who was resting on his breast at the last meal, and said, Lord, who is it who will be false to you?
WebsterThen Peter turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved, following; (who also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, who is he that betrayeth thee?)

What does John 21:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 21:20-21
20-21. Peter, turning about--showing that he followed immediately as directed. seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on Jesus' breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?--The Evangelist makes these allusions to the peculiar familiarity to which he had been admitted on the most memorable of all occasions, perhaps lovingly to account for Peter's somewhat forward question about him to Jesus; which is the rather probable, as it was at Peter's suggestion that he put the question about the traitor which he here recalls (Joh 13:24, 25).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. Which also leaned, &c. See Jn 13:24,25

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 21:20-24
Sufferings, pains, and death, will appear formidable even to the experienced Christian; but in the hope to glorify God, to leave a sinful world, and to be present with his Lord, he becomes ready to obey the Redeemer's call, and to follow Him through death to glory. It is the will of Christ that his disciples should mind their own duty, and not be curious about future events, either as to themselves or others. Many things we are apt to be anxious about, which are nothing to us. Other people's affairs are nothing to us, to intermeddle in; we must quietly work, and mind our own business. Many curious questions are put about the counsels of God, and the state of the unseen world, as to which we may say, What is this to us? And if we attend to the duty of following Christ, we shall find neither heart nor time to meddle with that which does not belong to us. How little are any unwritten traditions to be relied upon! Let the Scripture be its own interpreter, and explain itself; as it is, in a great measure, its own evidence, and proves itself, for it is light. See the easy setting right such mistakes by the word of Christ. Scripture language is the safest channel for Scripture truth; the words which the Holy Ghost teaches, 1Co 2:13. Those who cannot agree in the same terms of art, and the application of them, may yet agree in the same Scripture terms, and to love one another.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 21:20 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.

ἘπιστραφεὶςEpistrapheisHaving turnedG1994
ὁho<the>G3588
ΠέτροςPetrosPeterG4074
βλέπειblepeiseesG991
τὸνtontheG3588
μαθητὴνmathētēndiscipleG3101
ὃνhonwhomG3739
ἠγάπαēgapawas lovingG25
ὁho<the>G3588
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἀκολουθοῦνταakolouthountafollowingG190
ὃςhoswhoG3739
καὶkaialsoG2532
ἀνέπεσενanepesenhad reclinedG377
ἐνenatG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
δείπνῳdeipnōsupperG1173
ἐπὶepionG1909
τὸtotheG3588
στῆθοςstēthosbosomG4738
αὐτοῦautouof HimG846
καὶkaiandG2532
εἶπεν·eipensaid;G2036
κύριε,kurieLord,G2962
τίςtiswhoG5101
ἐστινestinis itG1510
ὁhowhoG3588
παραδιδούςparadidousis betrayingG3860
σε;seYou?G4771

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

Cross references for John 21:20

  • John 21:7

    Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

  • John 20:2

    Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

  • John 21:24

    This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

  • John 13:23-26

    Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
seeth.
7,24; 20:2
which.
13:23-26; 20:2

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

Context

  • John 21:19

    This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

  • John 21:20

    Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

  • John 21:21

    Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

Read all of John 21

John 21:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Volviéndose Pedro, ve á aquel discípulo al cual amaba Jesús, que seguía, el que también se había recostado á su pecho en la cena, y le había dicho: Señor, ¿quién es el que te ha de entregar?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Pierre, se retournant, voit suivre le disciple que Jésus aimait, qui aussi, durant le souper, s’était penché sur sa poitrine, et avait dit: Seigneur, lequel est celui qui te livrera?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Petrus wandte sich um und sieht den Jünger nachfolgen, welchen Jesus liebte, der sich auch bei dem Abendessen an seine Brust gelehnt und gesagt hatte: Herr, wer ist es, der dich überliefert?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Conversus Petrus vidit illum discipulum, quem diligebat Jesus, sequentem, qui et recubuit in cœna super pectus ejus, et dixit: Domine, quis est qui tradet te?