Then does not appear in the Greek text. Good News Translation introduces it here because the English demands a transitional marker.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

The verb translated went aboard (so most translations) literally means “went up.” Some commentators take this to mean that Peter was just now coming up on the shore. However, John seems to imply that by jumping into the water and swimming Peter reached shore first. Other commentators take this verb to mean that Peter climbed up on the bank to help pull the net in. But the most satisfactory interpretation is that Peter got into the boat to help the other disciples pull in the load of fish. In Matthew 14.32 and Mark 6.51 the verb is used with the meaning “to go aboard,” and is accompanied by the phrase “into the boat.” Since the net full of fish was dragged behind the boat as the men rowed to shore, Peter would have to get into the stern of the boat to help drag the net onto the shore.

Symbolic interpretations of the number a hundred and fifty-three have been suggested, but fortunately the translator is concerned only with the literal meaning.

The description of the net and the fish may require several paratactically combined sentences, for example, “Simon Peter went back aboard the boat and helped drag the net ashore; the net was full of big fish; altogether there were 153 fish.”

The net did not tear may be rendered as “no holes were made in the net” or “no part of the net broke.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

In classical Greek the verb translated eat here and had eaten in verse 15 means “to eat breakfast.” The only other instance of this verb in the New Testament is in Luke 11.37, where the reference is to the main meal of the day. The related noun is used in Matthew 22.4; Luke 11.38; 14.12. In all three verses the word designates the main meal of the day, rather than breakfast. However, it is possible to translate the verb here with the original meaning “to eat breakfast,” because of the contextual setting. New English Bible has “Come and have breakfast.”

The Greek verb translated dared may also be rendered “was brave enough” or “… bold enough.” The reason given (because they knew it was the Lord) seems illogical, since it suggests that the disciples did not need to ask Jesus who he was. Nevertheless, even though they knew it was Jesus, they may have wanted some confirmation from him.

As in verse 7 (It is the Lord), so in this verse the title Lord is used of the resurrected Jesus.

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

In Greek this verse has no translational marker, but Good News Translation supplies so for the English reader. Compare Jerusalem Bible (“Jesus then stepped forward”) and New English Bible (“Jesus now came up”).

The verb went over (New American Bible “came over”; New English Bible “came up”) need not imply that Jesus was standing at a distance from the fire. It seems better to take it with the verb took which follows (Goodspeed “Jesus went and got the bread”; Barclay “Jesus went and took the loaf”).

He did the same with the fish translates a noun phrase in Greek (Revised Standard Version “and so with the fish”).

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

This verse ties Chapter 21 to Chapter 20, making this resurrection appearance to the disciples sequential to the two in Chapter 20.

Appeared translates a passive form in Greek (Revised Standard Version “was revealed”), but its meaning is equivalent to the active form used with an object in verse 1. Barclay translates “this was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples,” and New American Bible has “this marked the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples.”

It may be necessary to translate after he was raised from death by an active form, such as “after God raised him from death.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

After they had eaten serves as a transition to the following episode. Although seven disciples are mentioned at the beginning of this account (21.2), this particular section is concerned solely with a dialogue between Jesus and Simon Peter.

As can be seen from the outline John uses two words for “love,” agapaō and phileō. At one time it was fashionable to see a distinction in meaning between the two words, but most scholars now agree that the words are used synonymously. This conclusion is reflected in most modern translations, since they render both verbs in the same manner (Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, New American Bible, Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, Barclay, Luther Luther, Zürcher Bibel, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant). A few translations do, however, make a distinction in meaning. For example, Phillips and the Living Bible translate phileō with the meaning “to be one’s friend” (note also La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée and the New English Bible alternative rendering), while Goodspeed translates agapaō as “to be devoted to.” In a footnote on the two verbs, Barclay remarks: “It is almost certain that there is no difference in meaning between them.” However, he does give the alternative possibility of “to be dear to” for phileō. It is suggested that the translator select as generic a term as possible for “to love,” and use that term throughout the passage.

In reply Peter uses two verbs meaning “to know.” Here again the consensus of New Testament scholarship is that the verbs are used synonymously.

Finally, in his command to Peter, Jesus uses two different verbs, both of which are translated take care of in Good News Translation. The verb used in verses 15 and 17 (boskō) is used of herdsmen who “feed” or “tend” their herds. For example, it is used in Luke 15.15, where the prodigal son is sent to the fields to take care of the pigs; it is used of pig herders in Matthew 8.33; Mark 5.14; and Luke 8.34. In each of these occurrences the verb is used of people who are taking care of (not merely feeding) animals. So in John 21.15,17 Take care of is better than the more limited meaning “feed” found in most translations. The verb used in verse 16 (poimainō) originally meant “to be a shepherd” (see Moffatt and Barclay “be a shepherd to my sheep”), but it is also widely used in the figurative sense “to lead,” “to guide,” or “to rule.” Although most translations distinguish in meaning between these two verbs, they seem to be used synonymously in the present context.

The object of these verses is lambs (arnion) in verse 15 and sheep (probaton) in verses 16 and 17. Translators sometimes make a distinction, but these nouns are probably used synonymously in the present context. Variation in the choice of nouns and verbs is a stylistic feature of the Johannine writer, and no real distinction in meaning should be looked for either in this passage. That different verbs and different nouns are used here to describe the same event and object is no more significant that the use of three different words for “fish” in verses 5-13. In verse 17 there is some manuscript support for the reading probation, technically meaning “little sheep” (Living Bible). However, the rendering “little sheep” does not appear in any of the major translations.

More than these others do (Moffatt; see also Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Phillips, Barclay, New English Bible alternative rendering) is to be preferred to the meaning “more than all else” (New English Bible).

Since Jesus posed a question to Simon Peter, it may be best to translate “Jesus asked Simon Peter,” rather than merely Jesus said to Simon Peter.

The ellipsis involved in the clause than these others do may need to be made explicit, for example, “than these others love me.” If it is assumed that these refers to objects (as in New English Bible), then the question must be rendered “do you love me more than you love all these things?” “These things” would refer to the boats, the net, and, by implication, Peter’s previous occupation as a fisherman. This interpretation, however, seems far less satisfactory.

In his answer Simon Peter does not attempt to qualify his own love in contrast with the love which others might have. This may be interpreted as a recognition of his own failure to acknowledge his love for Jesus during the trial. In some languages it may be best to translate you know that I love you as “you know how much I love you.”

Since take care of my lambs must be understood figuratively, it may be wise to treat this expression as a simile, for example, “Take care, as it were, of my lambs” or “Take care of my followers, just as though they were lambs.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .