21:11a

So Simon Peter went aboard: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went aboard is more literally “went up.” Peter entered the boat again to untie the net. (The phrase went aboard here means “got into the boat.”) Here are other ways to translate this clause:

Simon Peter climbed aboard (New International Version)
-or-
Simon Peter got back into the boat (Contemporary English Version)

and dragged the net ashore: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as dragged indicates that Peter pulled the net onto the shore without lifting it up. For example:

pulled the net to shore (NET Bible)

the net: The fish were still in the net, as John says in 21:11b. Peter did not empty the net until he got to the shore.

ashore: This word means “onto the land.”

21:11b

It was full of large fish, 153: The net was full because it contained 153 large fish. It could not hold any or many more. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate or imply that Peter and the other disciples counted the fish. For example:

and ⌊it was seen/found⌋ to contain one hundred and fifty-three large fish
-or-
and ⌊they found⌋ that there were 153 large fish in it
-or-
and the number of fish amounted to 153—and they were all large in size

In some languages it may be natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:

The net was filled with 153 large fish.
-or-
Filling it were one hundred fifty-three (153) large fish.
-or-
It was full of large fish. ⌊They counted them and found that⌋ there were one hundred and fifty-three.

153: In some languages it may be awkward or unnatural to use a large number such as 153. Some languages use the language of wider communication for such large numbers. Some languages use the digits 153. Some say “very many” followed by the number in parentheses. For example:

There were 153 large fish (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
It was full of many large fish (153)

General Comment on 21:11a–b

In some languages it may be natural to combine the information in 21:11a–b. For example:

Peter went ⌊to the boat⌋ and dragged the net, full of large fish, to the shore. ⌊There they counted them⌋ and saw that there were 153.

21:11c

but even with so many, the net was not torn: The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word but to indicate that it was surprising that the net did not tear. Normally a net tore when it held so many fish, releasing them back into the sea. Consider how it is natural in your language to indicate that something is surprising or not expected. For example:

and though there were so many, the net was not torn (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
even though there were so many, still the net did tear (Good News Translation)

but even with so many: This clause tells the reason why it was surprising that the net did not tear. Because there were very many fish, people might expect that the net would break, but it did not break. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

and yet, many as they were (Revised English Bible)
-or-
but still (Contemporary English Version)

the net was not torn: The verb was not torn is passive. It implies that the weight of the fish did not rip (tear) any holes in the net. None of the strings of the net broke. There are several ways to translate this verb phrase:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

the net was not broken (New Jerusalem Bible)

• Use an active verb with no object (an intransitive verb). For example:

the net did not tear (Good News Translation)
-or-
the net did not rip (Contemporary English Version)

• Use an active verb with an object (a transitive verb). The fish are the implied subject. For example:

⌊all those fish⌋ did not tear the net

• Use a verb that indicates cause. For example:

⌊the large number of fish⌋ did not cause the net to tear

• Use a positive expression with an adjective. For example:

the net remained whole

Use the verb form that is most natural in your language in this context.

General Comment on 21:11c

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of the clauses in 21:11c. For example:

The net did not rip even though there were so many fish ⌊caught in it⌋ .
-or-
The net remained unbroken in spite of all the fish ⌊it contained/held⌋ .

General Comment on 21:11b–c

In some languages it may be natural to combine the information in 21:11b–c. For example:

Though it contained 153 large fish, the net did not tear.
-or-
There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
In it were one hundred fifty-three large fish, but still the net did not rip. (Contemporary English Version)

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