What Does John 21:20 Mean?
Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, the one who had also fallen back against his chest at supper and said, "Lord, who is the one who will hand you over?"
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?THE KEY
The disciple who once reclined against Jesus’ chest is still following him: nearness and movement belong to the same relationship.
THE MEANING
You encounter the beloved disciple in two postures at once: reclining close to Jesus at supper, and now following him. The verse holds nearness and movement together; the disciple is known not only by his closeness, but by his continuing place behind Jesus.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
Closeness to Jesus does not mean the journey is over; the beloved disciple is still following.
THE ROOT
ἀκολουθοῦντα
akolouthounta
GROWS FROM
ἀκολουθ-
Greek verbal stem
Follow or accompany; go after someone as a companion.
The verb repeats the word Jesus uses to tell Peter, “Follow me,” just one verse earlier. The call Peter hears becomes the movement he sees in the other disciple: following is the shared action in this scene.
ALSO GROWS
akolouthei: Follow!
ἀκολούθει
This is the imperative Jesus gives Peter in John 21:19, the same verb heard here as the other disciple’s action.
akolouthos: Follower, companion
ἀκόλουθος
This related word names one who accompanies another, bringing out the companionship within following.
ἀνέπεσεν
anepesen
GROWS FROM
πιπτ- (Greek verbal stem, with ἀνά- prefix)
Fall; in this compound, fall back or recline.
“fallen back against” in this verse is anepesen. The verb is built from ἀνά- (back) and πίπτω (fall), and is used for reclining at a meal. It makes the disciple’s closeness concrete: he rests against Jesus at supper, and the verse places that remembered posture beside his following.
ALSO GROWS
piptō: Fall
πίπτω
The base verb contributes the bodily image of falling or settling back.
anapiptō: Recline, fall back
ἀναπίπτω
This compound describes the disciple’s posture at supper, making his nearness more specific than a general image of affection.
ἠγάπα
ēgapa
GROWS FROM
ἀγαπ-
Greek word family
Love or cherish.
“loved” in this verse is ēgapa. The Greek repeats the same form that identifies this disciple in the supper scene. Its word family includes both ἀγάπη, love, and ἀγαπητός, beloved, so the disciple’s closeness and following appear within the relationship that names him.
ALSO GROWS
agapē: Love
ἀγάπη
The related noun names the love that identifies the disciple in this verse.
agapētos: Beloved, dearly loved
ἀγαπητός
This related form describes the one who is loved, matching the way Jesus’ disciple is identified.
THE PATTERN
Following is the visible movement of a relationship marked by nearness, recognition, or a direct call.
My living soul clings after you, and your right hand grasps me.My sheep hear and respond to my voice, and I perceive them, and they follow me.He said this, showing by what death he would give weight to God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."THE THREAD
He said this, showing by what death he would give weight to God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."The Greek verb behind “following” repeats Jesus’ command to Peter just one verse earlier: ἀκολούθει becomes ἀκολουθοῦντα. Peter hears the call directed to him, then sees another disciple already moving behind Jesus.
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