John 21:20-23

Peter and the Disciple Jesus Loved

21:20 Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. ¹  (This was the disciple ²  who had leaned back against Jesus’ ³  chest at the meal and asked, ⁴  “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”) ⁵  21:21 So when Peter saw him, ⁶  he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 21:22 Jesus replied, ⁷  “If I want him to live ⁸  until I come back, ⁹  what concern is that of yours? You follow me!” 21:23 So the saying circulated ¹⁰  among the brothers and sisters ¹¹  that this disciple was not going to die. But Jesus did not say to him that he was not going to die, but rather, “If I want him to live ¹²  until I come back, ¹³  what concern is that of yours?”

[21:20]  ¹ tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[21:20]  ² tn The words “This was the disciple” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for clarity.

[21:20]  ³ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:20]  ⁴ tn Grk “and said.”

[21:20]  ⁵ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[21:21]  ⁶ tn Grk “saw this one.”

[21:22]  ⁷ tn Grk “Jesus said to him.”

[21:22]  ⁸ tn Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly.

[21:22]  ⁹ tn The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.

[21:23]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “went out.”

[21:23]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the brothers,” but here the term refers to more than just the immediate disciples of Jesus (as it does in 20:17). Here, as R. E. Brown notes (John [AB], 2:1110), it refers to Christians of the Johannine community (which would include both men and women).

[21:23]  ¹² tn Grk “to stay” or “to remain”; but since longevity is the issue in the context, “to live” conveys the idea more clearly.

[21:23]  ¹³ tn The word “back” is supplied to clarify the meaning.