John 21 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Later, Jesus showed himself again to his followers. This was by Lake Tiberias (Galilee). This is how it happened:

² Some of the followers were together. They were Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the two sons of Zebedee, and two other followers.

³ Simon Peter said, “I am going out to fish.”

⁴ Early the next morning Jesus stood on the shore. But the followers did not know it was Jesus.

⁵ Then Jesus said to the followers, “Friends, have you caught any fish?”

⁶ Jesus said, “Throw your net into the water on the right side of your boat. You will find some fish there.” So the followers did this. They caught so many fish that they could not pull the net back into the boat.

⁷ The follower that Jesus loved said to Peter, “That man is the Lord (Jesus)!” Peter heard him say, “That man is the Lord.” Peter put his coat around himself. (Peter had taken his clothes off \{to work\}.) Then he jumped into the water.

⁸ The other followers went to shore in the boat. They pulled the net full of fish. They were not very far from shore, only about 100 yards.

⁹ When the followers stepped out of the boat and onto the shore, they saw a fire of hot coals. There were fish on the fire and some bread there too.

¹⁰ Then Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish that you caught.”

¹¹ Simon Peter went into the boat and pulled the net to the shore. It was full of big fish. There were 153. The fish \{were very heavy\}, but the net did not tear.

¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and eat.” None of the followers would ask him, “Who are you?” They knew he was the Lord.

¹³ Jesus walked to the food. He took the bread and gave it to them. Jesus also got the fish and gave it to them.

¹⁴ This was now the third time Jesus showed himself to his followers after he was raised from death.

¹⁵ When they finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these \{other men love me\}?”

¹⁶ Again Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

¹⁷ A third time Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

¹⁸ I tell you the truth. When you were young, you tied your own belt and went where you wanted. But when you are old, you will put out your hands and another person will tie you. That person will lead you where you don’t want to go.”

¹⁹ (Jesus said this to show how Peter would die to give glory to God.) Then Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me!”

²⁰ Peter turned and saw the follower that Jesus loved walking behind them. (This was the follower that had leaned against Jesus at the supper and said, “Lord, who will turn against you?”)

²¹ When Peter saw this follower behind them he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

²² Jesus answered, “Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not be important to you. You follow me!”

²³ So a story spread among the brothers (followers). They were saying that this follower \{that Jesus loved\} would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die. He only said, “Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not be important to you.”

²⁴ That follower is the one that is telling these things. He is the one that has now written these things. We know that what he says is true.

²⁵ There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of these things were written down, I think the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would be written.