After they had eaten serves as a transition to the following episode. Although seven disciples are mentioned at the beginning of this account (21.2), this particular section is concerned solely with a dialogue between Jesus and Simon Peter.
As can be seen from the outline John uses two words for “love,” agapaō and phileō. At one time it was fashionable to see a distinction in meaning between the two words, but most scholars now agree that the words are used synonymously. This conclusion is reflected in most modern translations, since they render both verbs in the same manner (Revised Standard Version, New English Bible, New American Bible, Moffatt, Jerusalem Bible, Barclay, Luther Luther, Zürcher Bibel, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant). A few translations do, however, make a distinction in meaning. For example, Phillips and the Living Bible translate phileō with the meaning “to be one’s friend” (note also La Sainte Bible: Nouvelle version Segond révisée and the New English Bible alternative rendering), while Goodspeed translates agapaō as “to be devoted to.” In a footnote on the two verbs, Barclay remarks: “It is almost certain that there is no difference in meaning between them.” However, he does give the alternative possibility of “to be dear to” for phileō. It is suggested that the translator select as generic a term as possible for “to love,” and use that term throughout the passage.
In reply Peter uses two verbs meaning “to know.” Here again the consensus of New Testament scholarship is that the verbs are used synonymously.
Finally, in his command to Peter, Jesus uses two different verbs, both of which are translated take care of in Good News Translation. The verb used in verses 15 and 17 (boskō) is used of herdsmen who “feed” or “tend” their herds. For example, it is used in Luke 15.15, where the prodigal son is sent to the fields to take care of the pigs; it is used of pig herders in Matthew 8.33; Mark 5.14; and Luke 8.34. In each of these occurrences the verb is used of people who are taking care of (not merely feeding) animals. So in John 21.15,17 Take care of is better than the more limited meaning “feed” found in most translations. The verb used in verse 16 (poimainō) originally meant “to be a shepherd” (see Moffatt and Barclay “be a shepherd to my sheep”), but it is also widely used in the figurative sense “to lead,” “to guide,” or “to rule.” Although most translations distinguish in meaning between these two verbs, they seem to be used synonymously in the present context.
The object of these verses is lambs (arnion) in verse 15 and sheep (probaton) in verses 16 and 17. Translators sometimes make a distinction, but these nouns are probably used synonymously in the present context. Variation in the choice of nouns and verbs is a stylistic feature of the Johannine writer, and no real distinction in meaning should be looked for either in this passage. That different verbs and different nouns are used here to describe the same event and object is no more significant that the use of three different words for “fish” in verses 5-13. In verse 17 there is some manuscript support for the reading probation, technically meaning “little sheep” (Living Bible). However, the rendering “little sheep” does not appear in any of the major translations.
More than these others do (Moffatt; see also Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Phillips, Barclay, New English Bible alternative rendering) is to be preferred to the meaning “more than all else” (New English Bible).
Since Jesus posed a question to Simon Peter, it may be best to translate “Jesus asked Simon Peter,” rather than merely Jesus said to Simon Peter.
The ellipsis involved in the clause than these others do may need to be made explicit, for example, “than these others love me.” If it is assumed that these refers to objects (as in New English Bible), then the question must be rendered “do you love me more than you love all these things?” “These things” would refer to the boats, the net, and, by implication, Peter’s previous occupation as a fisherman. This interpretation, however, seems far less satisfactory.
In his answer Simon Peter does not attempt to qualify his own love in contrast with the love which others might have. This may be interpreted as a recognition of his own failure to acknowledge his love for Jesus during the trial. In some languages it may be best to translate you know that I love you as “you know how much I love you.”
Since take care of my lambs must be understood figuratively, it may be wise to treat this expression as a simile, for example, “Take care, as it were, of my lambs” or “Take care of my followers, just as though they were lambs.”
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1980. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .