John 21:15

Authorized King James Version (1611)

¶ 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.›

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

¶Ὅτε οὖν ἠρίστησαν, λέγει τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Σίμων, Ἰωνᾶ, ἀγαπᾷς με πλεῖόν τούτων; Λέγει αὐτῷ, Ναὶ, Κύριε· σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. Λέγει αὐτῷ, Βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου.

Transliteration

When oun ēristēsan, legei to-the Simōni Petrō the Iēsous, Simōn, Iōna, agapas me pleion these? Legei autō, Yes, Kyrie; you oidas that philō you. Legei autō, Boske the arnia of-me.

Grammar Details

• *Hote*: conjunction - when
• *oun*: conjunction - therefore/then
• *ēristēsan*: aorist active indicative, 3rd person plural - they had eaten
• *legei*: present active indicative, 3rd person singular - says
• *Simōni*: dative, masculine, singular - to Simon
• *Petrō*: dative, masculine, singular - to Peter
• *Iēsous*: nominative, masculine, singular - Jesus
• *Simōn*: vocative, masculine, singular - Simon
• *Iōna*: vocative, masculine, singular - of Jonah
• *agapas*: present active indicative, 2nd person singular - do you love
• *me*: accusative, singular - me
• *pleion*: comparative adverb - more than
• *toutōn*: demonstrative pronoun, genitive, neuter, plural - these
• *autō*: dative, masculine, singular - to him
• *Nai*: particle of affirmation - yes
• *Kyrie*: vocative, masculine, singular - Lord
• *sy*: nominative, singular - you
• *oidas*: perfect active indicative, 2nd person singular - you know
• *hoti*: conjunction - that
• *philō*: present active indicative, 1st person singular - I love/have affection for
• *se*: accusative, singular - you
• *Boske*: present active imperative, 2nd person singular - feed
• *arnia*: accusative, neuter, plural - lambs
• *mou*: genitive, singular - of me/my

Word Meanings

• *ēristēsan*: had eaten/had breakfast
• *agapas*: do you love (agapaō - deeper, spiritual love)
• *pleion*: more than/more completely than
• *philō*: I love/have affection for (phileō - friendship love)
• *Boske*: feed/tend/nourish
• *arnia*: lambs/little sheep

Referenced Verses

• Isa 40:11 : 11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry [them] in his bosom, [and] shall gently lead those that are with young.
• 2 Cor 5:14-15 : 14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And [that] he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
• Gal 5:6 : 6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
• Eph 6:24 : 24 Grace [be] with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
• 1 Tim 4:15-16 : 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
• 1 John 4:19 : 19 We love him, because he first loved us.
• Heb 4:13 : 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things [are] naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
• Heb 12:12-13 : 12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
• Heb 13:20 : 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
• 1 Pet 1:8 : 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see [him] not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
• 1 Pet 2:2 : 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
• 1 Pet 2:25 : 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
• 1 Pet 5:1-4 : 1 ¶ The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
• John 8:42 : 42 Jesus said unto them, ‹If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.›
• Rom 14:1 : 1 ¶ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.
• Rom 15:1 : 1 ¶ We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
• John 14:15-24 : 15 ¶ ‹If ye love me, keep my commandments.› 16 ‹And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;› 17 [Even] ‹the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.› 18 ¶ ‹I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.› 19 ‹Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.› 20 ‹At that day ye shall know that I› [am] ‹in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.› 21 ‹He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.› 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, ‹If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.› 24 ‹He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.›
• John 16:27 : 27 ‹For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.›
• John 21:7 : 7 Therefore 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.
• John 21:12 : 12 Jesus saith unto them, ‹Come› [and] ‹dine.› And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
• John 21:16-17 : 16 He 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.› 17 He 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.›
• Acts 20:28 : 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
• Gen 33:13 : 13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children [are] tender, and the flocks and herds with young [are] with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
• 2 Sam 7:20 : 20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
• 2 Kgs 20:3 : 3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done [that which is] good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.
• Ps 78:70-72 : 70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds: 71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. 72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
• Jer 3:15 : 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
• Jer 23:4 : 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
• Ezek 34:2-9 : 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe [be] to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: [but] ye feed not the flock. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up [that which was] broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5 And they were scattered, because [there is] no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek [after them]. 7 ¶ Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8 [As] I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because [there was] no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I [am] against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
• Ezek 34:23 : 23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, [even] my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.
• Matt 10:37 : 37 ‹He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.›
• Matt 16:17 : 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, ‹Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed› [it] ‹unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.›
• Matt 18:10 : 10 ‹Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.›
• Matt 25:34-45 : 34 ‹Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:› 35 ‹For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:› 36 ‹Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.› 37 ‹Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed› [thee]? ‹or thirsty, and gave› [thee] ‹drink?› 38 ‹When saw we thee a stranger, and took› [thee] ‹in? or naked, and clothed› [thee]? 39 ‹Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?› 40 ‹And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done› [it] ‹unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done› [it] ‹unto me.› 41 ‹Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:› 42 ‹For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:› 43 ‹I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.› 44 ‹Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?› 45 ‹Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did› [it] ‹not to one of the least of these, ye did› [it] ‹not to me.›
• Matt 26:33 : 33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all [men] shall be offended because of thee, [yet] will I never be offended.
• Matt 26:35 : 35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
• Mark 14:29 : 29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet [will] not I.
• Luke 12:32 : 32 ‹Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.›
• Luke 22:32 : 32 ‹But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.›
• John 1:42 : 42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, ‹Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas,› which is by interpretation, A stone.
• 1 Cor 3:1-3 : 1 ¶ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
• 1 Cor 8:11 : 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?
• 1 Cor 16:21-22 : 21 The salutation of [me] Paul with mine own hand. 22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
• John 13:37 : 37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
• Eph 4:14 : 14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
• 1 John 5:1 : 1 ¶ Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
• Rev 2:23 : 23 ‹And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.›