John 21:22
in John 21Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I return, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
KJV
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
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This verse in John 21
Commentary
3 notes on this verseIf I will that he tarry till I come - There are several opinions concerning this: the following are the principal. 1. Some have concluded from these words that John should never die. Many eminent men, ancients and moderns, have been and are of this opinion. 2. Others thought that our Lord intimated that John should live till Christ came to judge and destroy Jerusalem.
This site's exposition
turning about
on John 21:20-23
Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following, identified again by the supper scene, which also leaned on his breast at supper, and Peter, freshly told his own death, asks of another man's future, Lord, and what shall this man do. Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee, follow thou me, a plain rebuke of comparison rather than a promise, each disciple's path set by the Lord alone and no one's call measured against another's. John corrects the rumor his own generation drew from the saying, that that disciple should not die, stating carefully what Jesus actually said, a conditional never resolved into a promise, and the correction reads as the aged apostle's own witness against a report already circulating before he wrote.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
If I will that he tarry - Without dying, till I come - To judgment. Certainly he did tarry, till Christ came to destroy Jerusalem. And who can tell, when or how he died?
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| λέγει | legei | Says | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| αὐτῷ | auto | to him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰησοῦς· | iesous | Jesus; | G2424 → | 908 times |
| ἐὰν | ean | If | G1437 → | 352 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| θέλω | thelo | I shall desire | G2309 → | 208 times |
| μένειν | menein | to remain | G3306 → | 118 times |
| ἕως | he'os | until | G2193 → | 146 times |
| ἔρχομαι, | erchomai | I come, | G2064 → | 628 times |
| τί | ti | what [is it] | G5101 → | 563 times |
| πρὸς | pros | to | G4314 → | 700 times |
| σέ; | se | you? | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| σύ | su | You yourself | G4771 → | 2973 times |
| μοι | moi | Me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἀκολούθει.¶ | akolouthei | do follow. | G190 → | 90 times |
λέγειSays
legeiG3004 →1325 times
αὐτῷto him
autoG846 →5565 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Ἰησοῦς·Jesus;
iesousG2424 →908 times
ἐὰνIf
eanG1437 →352 times
αὐτὸνhim
autonG846 →5565 times
θέλωI shall desire
theloG2309 →208 times
μένεινto remain
meneinG3306 →118 times
ἕωςuntil
he'osG2193 →146 times
ἔρχομαι,I come,
erchomaiG2064 →628 times
τίwhat [is it]
tiG5101 →563 times
πρὸςto
prosG4314 →700 times
σέ;you?
seG4771 →2973 times
σύYou yourself
suG4771 →2973 times
μοιMe
moiG3165 →1936 times
ἀκολούθει.¶do follow.
akoloutheiG190 →90 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 3:11I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
it leads to
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
- Revelation 2:10
Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison to test you, and you will suffer tribulation for ten days. Be faithful…
- Revelation 2:25
Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come.
- 1 Peter 5:3–4
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
- James 1:12
Through
1 Corinthians 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
it leads to
- James 5:7
Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer awaits the precious fruit of the soil—how patient he is for the fall and spring rains.
- 2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.
- 1 Corinthians 3:13
his workmanship will be evident, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will prove the quality of each man’s work.
- James 5:7
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About John
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Brooke Foss Westcott, The Gospel according to St. John; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, John and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament.