Breakfast Beside the Sea and Jesus' Conversation with Peter

After this, Jesus showed himself again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. Seven of them were together: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. Peter said he was going fishing, and the others went too. They spent the night in the boat, but they caught nothing.

At daybreak, Jesus stood on the shore, though the disciples did not know at first that it was Jesus. He asked whether they had anything to eat. When they answered no, he told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. They did, and the catch was so large they could not pull it in. Then the disciple Jesus loved said, “It is the Lord.”

Peter wrapped on his outer garment and threw himself into the sea, while the others came in the boat dragging the net.

When they came ashore, they saw a fire of coals with fish and bread already there. Jesus told them to bring some of the fish they had just caught. Peter pulled the net to land, full of 153 large fish, yet the net was not torn. Jesus invited them to eat breakfast, and he gave them bread and fish. John says this was the third time Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he rose from the dead.

After breakfast, Jesus spoke with Peter. Three times he asked whether Peter loved him, and each time Peter answered yes. Jesus answered by giving Peter work to do: care for his lambs and sheep. Peter was grieved when Jesus asked a third time, but he replied that the Lord knew everything about him. Love for Jesus was to be shown in faithful care for the people who belonged to Jesus.

Then Jesus told Peter that when he was old, another would dress him and carry him where he did not want to go. John explains that Jesus was speaking about the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then Jesus told him to follow him. When Peter asked about the other disciple, Jesus turned Peter back to his own calling.

John also corrects a rumour, saying Jesus had not promised that disciple would never die. He ends by saying this witness is true, and that Jesus did many other things as well.