What Does John 21:17 Mean in the King James?
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
In Jesus’ third question, the Greek shifts to Peter’s own word for love, and that love is immediately given a shape: feed the sheep.
THE MEANING
You can be fully known even where a repeated question hurts; grief and love occupy the same moment. The love you can honestly name is met with the charge to feed the sheep. Here, love takes shape as care for lives entrusted to you.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that failure makes you permanently unfit to be trusted with what matters dissolves here: grief is followed by renewed responsibility.
THE ROOT
φιλεῖς
phileis
GROWS FROM
φιλε- (φιλέω, phileō)
To love, feel affection for, or regard with friendship.
“lovest / love” in this verse is phileis. Jesus uses ἀγαπάω (agapaō, love) in his first two questions, then φιλέω (phileō, love with affection) in the third, the word Peter has used in all three replies. The shift need not rank one kind of love above another: the final question meets Peter in his own words, then joins that love to care for the sheep.
ALSO GROWS
philos: Friend; beloved.
φίλος
This word family makes love relational: in John 15:13, Jesus speaks of laying down one’s life for one’s friends.
philadelphia: Brotherly love; affection between siblings.
φιλαδελφία
It carries affection into a bond between people, echoing how Peter’s love is linked to the care of others.
οἶδας
oidas
GROWS FROM
γνω- (γινώσκω, ginōskō)
To know, recognize, or come to know.
“knowest” in this verse is oidas. English repeats “know,” but Peter uses two Greek verbs: οἶδας (oidas, know or perceive) for Jesus knowing all things, then γινώσκεις (ginōskeis, know or recognize) for knowing Peter’s love. The line moves from complete knowledge to the personal recognition of the love Peter names.
ALSO GROWS
gnōsis: Knowledge; knowing.
γνῶσις
It shows the knowing-family behind Peter’s appeal to be understood.
gnōstos: Known; recognized.
γνωστός
It brings out the personal side of the second “knowest”: Peter’s love is recognized, not left unseen.
THE PATTERN
Love becomes visible through concrete care for those placed in its keeping.
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.THE THREAD
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.“Friends” translates φίλων (philōn), from the same word family as Peter’s φιλέω (phileō), his word for love. The connection opens love as a bond expressed through care, which John 21:17 immediately directs toward the sheep.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us