- 1After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.
- 2There 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.
- 3Simon 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.
- 4But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
- 5Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
- 6And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
- 7Therefore 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.
- 8And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
- 9As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.
- 10Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
- 11Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
- 12Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
- 13Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
- 14This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
- 15 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.
- 16He 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.
- 17He 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.
- 18Verily, 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.
- 19This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.
- 20Then 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?
- 21Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
- 22Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
- 23Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
- 24This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
- 25And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
KING JAMES VERSION
JOHN 21
Read the chapter, follow a linked verse, and continue into related Watchman 33 teaching.
CHAPTER VISUAL
John 21 — Feed My Sheep gathers the chapter’s central movement as Jesus’s identity, authority, mercy, and saving mission are revealed.
About this illustration
The illustration centers at sunrise Jesus welcomes Peter beside a charcoal fire while disciples haul a full net ashore. Other events and teachings remain in the chapter text rather than being crowded into one scene.
Scripture basis: John 21:1–25King James Version · Standardized 1769 text with Strong’s numbering · Public domain outside the United Kingdom
EXPLORE THE MESSAGE
Related Watchman 33 Resources
Archaeological Evidence
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEArchaeological site
Founded circa AD 19; Roman-period remains
The Roman City of Tiberias
Excavation beneath modern Tiberias reveals the planned Roman city founded by Herod Antipas beside the lake, explaining John's 'Sea of Tiberias' while providing no evidence that Jesus entered the city.
John 6:1–2 · John 6:22–24 · John 21:1
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
7th Century
Papyrus P59: John 2:15–16 in a Greek Witness
P59, the seventh-century Nessana manuscript P. Colt 3 at the Morgan Library & Museum, preserves scattered passages from John 1–2, 11–12, 17–18, and 21 together with hermeneia material connected to late-antique biblical divination.
John 2:15–16 · John 11:40–52 · John 17:24–26
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
3rd century
Papyrus P109: John 21:18–20 and 21:23–25
Papyrus P109, P.Oxy. LXV 4448, is a third-century Greek codex fragment and the earliest surviving manuscript witness to John 21, preserving parts of Jesus' words to Peter and the Gospel's closing testimony.
John 21:18–20 · John 21:23–25
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
4th–5th Century
Papyrus P122: John 21:11–14 and 22–24 in a Greek Witness
P.Oxy. LXXI 4806, Gregory-Aland P122, is a fourth- or fifth-century papyrus codex fragment preserving the miraculous catch and final testimony passages near the end of John.
John 21:11–14 · John 21:22–24
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Ninth century AD
Codex Athous Dionysiou (GA 045)
Codex Athous Dionysiou (GA 045) is a distinct physical witness to the material transmission and reception of Scripture, identified by its own shelfmark, date, contents, and custodial history.
John 21:15–25 · Matthew 28:16–20
ARCHAEOLOGY EVIDENCEManuscript
Around AD 500
Codex Carnotensis (VL 33): A Pocket Gospel of John
Codex Carnotensis is an exceptionally small Gospel of John, copied in Italy around AD 500 and later recovered from a Chartres reliquary, with Old Latin text in John 1–5 and Vulgate form thereafter.
John 1:1–18 · John 6:35–59 · John 21:1–25
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Loving Jesus
In “Loving Jesus,” Pastor Dean Odle uses Peter’s failure, restoration, and final testimony to ask what genuine love for Christ looks like in practice. Beginning with submission to God and resistance to the devil, he follows Peter from confident promises before the crucifixion to Jesus’ repeated question, “Lovest thou me?” and the command to feed Christ’s sheep. The sermon argues that love for Jesus cannot be reduced to emotion or religious language; it is shown through obedience, repentance, service, endurance, and a refusal to let the world displace devotion to Christ.
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In “Blind Oblivious Sheep,” Pastor Dean Odle warns that professing Christians can remain spiritually blind when they neglect Scripture, refuse the fear of the Lord, or settle into lukewarm religion. Using Jesus’ charge to Peter to feed His sheep, 1 Corinthians 4, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 2, Odle describes ministers as stewards responsible to provide the whole counsel of God while believers must actively desire the milk and meat of the Word.
Apostasy and DeceptionBible ProphecyChristian LivingDoctrine and Discernment
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Spiritual WarfareScripture AloneBiblical CreationChristian Living
View sermon Showing 1–3 of 6 sermons