After these things Jesus again appeared to the disciples at the sea of Tiberius. Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were there.

Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”

So, they said to him, “We’ll join you.”

They left and took a boat out but they caught nothing the whole night. When morning dawned, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples didn’t realize it was Jesus. Then Jesus called to them, “Guys, have you caught anything?”

They answered, “No.”

And he said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you’ll catch some.” They did so and were not able to draw up the net for the size of the catch. At this, that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”

Now when Simon Peter heard it was the Lord, he wrapped his fisher's coat around him because he was naked and he jumped into the sea. The other disciples brought the boat in for they were not far from land—about a hundred yards—dragging in the net full of fish.

As soon then as they came ashore, they saw the burning coals with fish on it and the bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you’ve just caught.”

Simon Peter went out and pulled the net to land full of large fishes—153, in fact. Still, even with so many, the net had not broken.

Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the disciples dared to ask, “Who are you?” knowing it was the Lord.

Jesus then came, took the bread and fish, and gave it to them. This was the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was risen from the dead. So, when they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon bar Jonas, do you love me more than these?”

He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He said to him a second time, “Simon bar Jonas, do you love me?”

He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon bar Jonas, do you love me?”

Peter was grieved because he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus sad to him, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were young, you got dressed and went wherever you wanted. But the day is coming when you will be old and someone else will have to dress you and will take you places you don’t want to go.” He said this, referring to the death by which Peter would glorify God. After he said that, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Then Peter, turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the one who had leaned on his chest at supper and said, “Lord, who will betray you?” Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, what is he to do?”

Jesus said to him, “If I want him to live until I return, what’s that got to do with you? You follow me.” Because of that, it was rumored among the brothers that he wouldn’t die. But Jesus didn’t say to him, “He shall not die,” but, “If I want him to live until I return, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who witnessed and wrote these things and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things which Jesus did, so much so, that if everything were written down, I suppose that even that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

The Eleven Return to Galilee

John 21:1-23

Galilee

Late March, 33 A.D.