John 21:21

New Life Version

Peter saw him and said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this one?"

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]?

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 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 around. He saw the follower whom Jesus loved, following. This one had been beside Jesus at the supper. This is the one who had asked Jesus, "Lord, who will hand You over?" ²¹ Peter saw him and said to Jesus, "But Lord, what about this one?" ²² Jesus said, "If I want this one to wait until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." ²³ So the news spread among the followers that this follower would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die. He said, "If I want him to wait until I come, what is that to you?" ²⁴ This is the follower who is telling of these things and who has written them. We know that his word is true. ²⁵ There are many other things which Jesus did also. If they were all written down, I do not think the world itself could hold 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 gave the name Isaac to his son who was born to him by Sarah.

Genesis 21:4
Then Abraham did the religious act of the Jews on Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had told him to do.

Genesis 21:34
And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for many days.

Numbers 10:12
The people of Israel moved on from the Desert of Sinai. Then the cloud came down and rested in the desert of Paran.

Numbers 12:16
The people moved from Hazeroth after that. And they set up their tents in the desert of Paran.

Numbers 13:3
So Moses sent them from the desert of Paran, as the Lord had told him. All of the men were heads of the people of Israel.

Numbers 13:26
And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the people of Israel in the desert of Paran, at Kadesh. They brought news to them and to all the people, and showed them the fruit of the land.

Judges 14:2
He returned and told his father and mother, "I saw a woman in Timnah. She is one of the daughters of the Philistines. Now get her for me as a wife."

1 Samuel 25:1
Now Samuel died. All Israel gathered together and was filled with sorrow for him. They buried him at his house in Ramah. Then David got ready and went down to the desert of Paran.

1 Corinthians 7:38
The man who gets married does well, but the man who does not get married 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.