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Wednesday, September 24th, 2025
the Week of Proper 20 / Ordinary 25
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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

John 21:21

On seeing him, Kefa said to Yeshua, "Lord, what about him?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Curiosity;   Jesus Continued;   Peter;   Presumption;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - John the apostle;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Jesus Christ;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Resurrection of Christ;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - James;   John the Apostle;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Beloved Disciple;   John;   John, the Gospel of;   Lazarus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - John, Gospel of;   Peter;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Day of Judgment;   Discourse;   John (the Apostle);   Smith Bible Dictionary - John, Gospel of;  

Encyclopedias:

- The Jewish Encyclopedia - New Testament;   Simon Cephas;  

Devotionals:

- My Utmost for His Highest - Devotion for November 15;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”
King James Version (1611)
Peter seeing him, saith to Iesus, Lord, and what shall this man doe?
King James Version
Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
English Standard Version
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"
New American Standard Bible
So Peter, upon seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"
New Century Version
When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"
Amplified Bible
So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man [what is in his future]?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"
Legacy Standard Bible
So Peter seeing him *said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"
Berean Standard Bible
When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"
Contemporary English Version
When Peter saw that disciple, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"
Darby Translation
Peter, seeing him, says to Jesus, Lord, and what [of] this [man]?
Easy-to-Read Version
When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
When Peter therefore sawe him, he saide to Iesus, Lord, what shall this man doe?
George Lamsa Translation
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, My Lord, what about him?
Good News Translation
When Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"
Lexham English Bible
So when he saw this one, Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, but what about this one?"
Literal Translation
Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, Lord, and what of this one?
American Standard Version
Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
Bible in Basic English
Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, What about this man?
Hebrew Names Version
Kefa seeing him, said to Yeshua, "Lord, what about this man?"
International Standard Version
When Peter saw him, he said, "Lord, what about him?"
Etheridge Translation
This when Kipha saw, he said to Jeshu, My Lord, and this, what ?
Murdock Translation
Him Cephas saw, and said to Jesus: My Lord, as for this man, what?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
When Peter therfore sawe hym, he sayth to Iesus: Lorde, what shal he do?
English Revised Version
Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
World English Bible
Peter seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what will this man do?"
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, what shall this man do?
Weymouth's New Testament
On seeing him, Peter asked Jesus, "And, Master, what about him?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor whanne Petre hadde seyn this, he seith to Jhesu, Lord, but what this?
Update Bible Version
Peter therefore seeing him says to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?
Webster's Bible Translation
Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what [shall] this man [do]?
New English Translation
So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"
New King James Version
Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this man?"
New Living Translation
Peter asked Jesus, "What about him, Lord?"
New Life Bible
Peter saw him and said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this one?"
New Revised Standard
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Peter, therefore, seeing, this one, saith unto Jesus - Lord! and, this one, what?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Him therefore when Peter had seen, he saith to Jesus: Lord, and what shall this man do?
Revised Standard Version
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
When Peter sawe him he sayde to Iesus: Lorde what shall he here do?
Young's Literal Translation
Peter having seen this one, saith to Jesus, `Lord, and what of this one?'
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wha Peter sawe him, he sayde vnto Iesus: LORDE, but what shal he do?
Mace New Testament (1729)
upon seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, Lord, and what shall become of him?
Simplified Cowboy Version
When Pete saw him, he asked, "What about this cowboy? What will happen to him, Lord?"

Contextual Overview

20 Kefa turned and saw the talmid Yeshua especially loved following behind, the one who had leaned against him at the supper and had asked, "Who is the one who is betraying you?" 21 On seeing him, Kefa said to Yeshua, "Lord, what about him?" 22 Yeshua said to him, "If I want him to stay on until I come, what is it to you? You, follow me!" 23 Therefore the word spread among the brothers that that talmid would not die. However, Yeshua didn't say he wouldn't die, but simply, "If I want him to stay on until I come, what is it to you?" 24 This one is the talmid who is testifying about these things and who has recorded them. And we know that his testimony is true. 25 But there are also many other things Yeshua did; and if they were all to be recorded, I don't think the whole world could contain the books that would have to be written!

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Lord: Matthew 24:3, Matthew 24:4, Luke 13:23, Luke 13:24, Acts 1:6, Acts 1:7

Reciprocal: Mark 13:4 - General Luke 21:7 - when John 13:36 - whither John 16:23 - ask Acts 10:42 - he commanded 1 Peter 5:12 - testifying

Cross-References

Genesis 21:3
Avraham called his son, born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Yitz'chak.
Genesis 21:4
Avraham circumcised his son Yitz'chak when he was eight days old, as God had ordered him to do.
Genesis 21:34
Avraham lived for a long time as a foreigner in the land of the P'lishtim.
Numbers 10:12
and the people of Isra'el moved out in stages from the Sinai Desert. The cloud stopped in the Pa'ran Desert.
Numbers 12:16
Afterwards, the people went on from Hatzerot and camped in the Pa'ran Desert. Haftarah B'ha‘alotkha: Z'kharyah (Zechariah) 2:14 – 4:7 B'rit Hadashah suggested readings for Parashah B'ha‘alotkha: Yochanan (John) 19:31–37; Messianic Jews (Hebrews) 3:1–6
Numbers 13:3
Moshe dispatched them from the Pa'ran Desert as Adonai had ordered; all of them were leading men among the people of Isra'el.
Numbers 13:26
and went to Moshe, Aharon and the entire community of the people of Isra'el at Kadesh in the Pa'ran Desert, where they brought back word to them and to the entire community and showed them the fruit of the land.
Judges 14:2
He came up and told his father and mother, "I saw a woman in Timnah, one of the P'lishtim. Now get her for me to be my wife."
1 Samuel 25:1
Sh'mu'el died. All of Isra'el assembled to mourn him and bury him at his home in Ramah. Then David set out and went down to the Pa'ran Desert.
1 Corinthians 7:38
So the man who marries his fiancée will do well, and the man who doesn't marry will do better.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus,.... Peter took a great deal of notice of John, and very likely understood, that he meant by his rising up and following Christ, to signify his readiness for service and suffering in the cause of Christ: and therefore says,

Lord, and what shall this man do? The phrase in the original is very short and concise, "Lord, and this what?" The Arabic version renders it, "and this, of what mind is he?" it looks as if he was of the same mind with me to follow thee; but it is better rendered by us, "what shall this man do?" in what work and service shall he be employed, who seems as willing as I am to serve thee? or it may be rendered thus, "and what shall this man suffer?" shall he suffer at all? and if he shall, what kind of death shall he undergo? what will become of him? what will be his end? how will it fare with him? this he said, partly out of curiosity, and partly out of concern for him, they two being associates and intimates, who had a strong affection for each other.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

What shall this man do? - This question probably means, “What death shall he die?” But it is impossible to ascertain certainly why Peter asked this question. John was a favorite disciple, and perhaps Peter suspected that he would have a happier lot, and not be put to death in this manner. Peter was grieved at the question of Jesus; he was probably deeply affected with the account of his own approaching sufferings; and, with perhaps a mixture of grief and envy, he asked what would be his lot. But it is possible, also, that it was from kindness to John - a deep solicitude about him, and a wish that he might not die in the same manner as one who had denied his Lord. Whatever the motive was, it was a curiosity which the Lord Jesus did not choose to gratify.


 
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