John 21
Open in the reader1Later, by the Sea of Tiberias, He-Who-Is-Saves again revealed Himself to the apprentices. He made Himself known in this way:
2Heard Stone, Twin called Twin, God-Has-Given from Reed-Place in The-Circuit, the sons of He-Who-Is-Has-Given, and two other apprentices were together.
3Heard Stone told them, “I am going fishing.” “We will go with you,” they said. So they went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that night.
4Early in the morning, He-Who-Is-Saves stood on the shore, but the apprentices did not recognize that it was He-Who-Is-Saves.
5So He-Who-Is-Saves called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” “No,” they answered.
6He told them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it there, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
7Then the apprentice whom He-Who-Is-Saves loved said to Stone, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Heard Stone heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it) and jumped into the sea.
8The other apprentices came ashore in the boat. They dragged in the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards.
9When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire there with fish on it, and some bread.
10He-Who-Is-Saves told them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11So Heard Stone went aboard and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many, the net was not torn.
12“Come, have breakfast,” He-Who-Is-Saves said to them. None of the apprentices dared to ask Him, “Who are You?” They knew it was the Lord.
13He-Who-Is-Saves came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish.
14This was now the third time that He-Who-Is-Saves appeared to the apprentices after He was raised from the dead.
15When they had finished eating, He-Who-Is-Saves asked Heard Stone, “Heard son of He-Who-Is-Has-Shown-Favor, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” He-Who-Is-Saves replied, “Feed My lambs.”
16He-Who-Is-Saves asked a second time, “Heard son of He-Who-Is-Has-Shown-Favor, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” He-Who-Is-Saves told him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
17He-Who-Is-Saves asked a third time, “Heard son of He-Who-Is-Has-Shown-Favor, do you love Me?” Stone was deeply hurt that He-Who-Is-Saves had asked him a third time, “Do you love Me?” “Lord, You know all things,” he replied. “You know I love You.” He-Who-Is-Saves said to him, “Feed My sheep.
18Truly, truly, I tell you, when you were young, you dressed yourself and walked where you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
19He-Who-Is-Saves said this to indicate the kind of death by which Stone would glorify God. And after He had said this, He told him, “Follow Me.”
20Stone turned and saw the apprentice whom He-Who-Is-Saves loved following them. He was the one who had leaned back against He-Who-Is-Saves at the supper to ask, “Lord, who is going to betray You?”
21When Stone saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
22He-Who-Is-Saves answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
23Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this apprentice would not die. However, He-Who-Is-Saves did not say that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you?”
24This is the apprentice who testifies to these things and who has written them down. And we know that his testimony is true.
25There are many more things that He-Who-Is-Saves did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written.