John 21:21

Easy-to-Read Version

When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"

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?"

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

Darby Translation
Peter, seeing him, says to Jesus, Lord, and what [of] this [man]?

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 Peter turned and saw the follower Jesus loved very much walking behind them. (This was the follower who had leaned against Jesus at the supper and said, "Lord, who is it that will hand you over?") ²¹ When Peter saw him behind them, he asked Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" ²² Jesus answered, "Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not matter to you. You follow me!" ²³ So a story spread among the followers of Jesus. They were saying that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say he would not die. He only said, "Maybe I want him to live until I come. That should not matter to you." ²⁴ That follower is the one who is telling these things. He is the one who has now written them all down. We know that what he says is true. ²⁵ There are many other things that Jesus did. If every one of them were written down, I think the whole world would not be big enough for all the books that would 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
Abraham named his son Isaac.

Genesis 21:4
Abraham did what God commanded and circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old.

Genesis 21:34
And Abraham lived as a stranger for a long time in the country of the Philistines.

Numbers 10:12
So the Israelites began their journey. They left the desert of Sinai and traveled until the cloud stopped in the desert of Paran.

Numbers 12:16
After that the people left Hazeroth and traveled to the desert of Paran where they set up camp.

Numbers 13:3
So Moses obeyed the Lord 's command and sent out the Israelite leaders while the people were camped in the desert of Paran.

Numbers 13:26
The Israelites were camped near Kadesh, in the desert of Paran. The men went to Moses and Aaron and all the Israelites. They told Moses, Aaron, and all the people what they saw and showed them the fruit from the land.

Judges 14:2
When he returned home, he said to his father and mother, "I saw a Philistine woman in Timnah. I want you to get her for me. I want to marry her."

1 Samuel 25:1
Samuel died. All the Israelites met together and mourned his death. They buried him at his home in Ramah. Then David moved to the desert of Maon.

1 Corinthians 7:38
So the man who marries his fiancée does right, and the man who does not marry does 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.