John 21:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So the saying spread abroad among the brothers that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"

NIV: Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

NASB: Therefore this account went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, 'If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?'

CSB: So this rumor spread to the brothers and sisters that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not tell him that he would not die, but, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?"

NLT: So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?'

KJV: Then 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

NKJV: Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

Modern Christians reading his passage may feel a combination of aggravation and reassurance. Jesus was asked to comment on the fate of the apostle John (John 21:20–21). He responded by refusing to make a prediction. He merely told Peter that John's fate was irrelevant to Peter's ministry. Even if John were to live forever—or at least until Jesus returned—it wouldn't change what Peter needed to do. Despite that, rumors spread that John was going live forever, a conclusion completely missing the point of what Jesus had said (John 21:22).

In one sense, it's frustrating to know that misinformation can arise so quickly. In the time between Jesus' resurrection and John's writing of this gospel, a mistaken claim popped up that John needed to formally renounce. And yet, this is also an encouraging detail. This is among the latest-written works of the New Testament. That men like John are alive and able to refute mistakes strongly supports the accuracy of Scripture. These books were recorded and in circulation while eyewitnesses were still alive to rebuff false beliefs (John 21:24–25).

John 21:20–23 comes immediately after Jesus delivers a prophecy about Peter's death. Peter asks about John, wondering if Jesus will say anything about his fate. Jesus sets the question aside, saying it would have no impact on Peter's need to follow Christ. John recounts this moment to correct a misunderstanding about that response; early believers misstated Jesus' words to imply that John wouldn't die until Jesus returned.

After Jesus' resurrection, a group of disciples goes fishing while they wait in Galilee. From a distance, a figure appears and tells the men to cast again. Despite a fruitless night, they obey, and the net is immediately overflowing with fish. This confirms that the man on the shore is Jesus. As the disciples eat a meal with Christ, He presses Peter to reaffirm His faith. Jesus then predicts the nature of Peter's death; He does not do so for John. The gospel of John ends with an affirmation of its source, and a reminder that no single book could contain every detail of Jesus' ministry.

The final chapter of the gospel of John evokes the recent trend of a "post-credits scene" from films. After the main story has been told, John includes one last scene to further add details about what is to come. After Jesus' resurrection and appearances, He meets with the disciples near Galilee. A major outcome of this meeting is Peter's restoration to his former status. No finite work could fully explain Jesus' ministry, so John's eyewitness account is only part of those truths.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.