King James Version

What Does John 21:22 Mean?

John 21:22 in the King James Version says “Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.” — study this verse from John chapter 21 with commentary, cross-references, and original Greek word analysis.

“Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.”

John 21:22 · KJV

Context

20

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?

21

Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

22

Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

23

Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

24

This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

Read John 21 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Christ's response firmly redirects Peter from comparison to personal obedience. The conditional clause If I will that he tarry till I come (ἐὰν αὐτὸν θέλω μένειν ἕως ἔρχομαι/ean auton thelō menein heōs erchomai) establishes divine sovereignty—the phrase I will (θέλω/thelō) emphasizes Christ's sovereign choice. The verb tarry (μένειν/menein) means to remain, abide, continue living.

The phrase till I come (ἕως ἔρχομαι/heōs erchomai) likely refers to Christ's second coming, though it could mean 'until I come in judgment on Jerusalem' (AD 70) or simply 'as long as I choose.' The ambiguity is intentional—Jesus refuses to satisfy Peter's curiosity, instead asserting His sovereign right to determine each disciple's path.

The rhetorical question what is that to thee? (τί πρὸς σέ;/ti pros se?)—literally 'what to you?'—is sharp rebuke. Jesus essentially says: 'My plans for John are none of your concern.' This isn't harsh but necessary correction. Peter's calling is to follow Christ, not monitor other disciples' assignments or compare suffering.

The command follow thou me (σύ μοι ἀκολούθει/sy moi akolouthei) repeats verse 19's imperative but now with emphatic pronoun thou (σύ/sy)—'You! You follow me!' The emphasis individualizes the call: Peter must focus on his own obedience, not John's destiny. The present imperative demands continuous action—keep following, regardless of what happens to others.

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Historical & Cultural Context

Jesus's words 'If I will that he tarry till I come' sparked misunderstanding, as verse 23 immediately clarifies. Some believers interpreted this as Jesus promising John wouldn't die before the Second Coming. This misunderstanding may have caused confusion when John grew very old—was Christ delayed? John's editorial clarification in verse 23 corrects this: Jesus didn't promise John wouldn't die, only hypothetically stated His sovereign right to determine John's lifespan.

Church tradition records John as the only apostle to die of natural causes, living to extreme old age in Ephesus (some traditions claim he lived past age 90). He outlived Peter by 25-30 years, surviving persecution under multiple emperors, and was reportedly the last surviving eyewitness of Jesus's ministry. Yet his long life didn't mean easier calling—tradition records John's exile to Patmos (Revelation 1:9) and various persecutions.

For early Christians facing persecution, Christ's words taught crucial lessons: God assigns different paths to different servants; we must not compare our suffering with others'; our calling is personal obedience to Christ's specific word to us; divine sovereignty determines the length and manner of our service. These principles countered both jealousy (Why does he suffer less?) and pride (I'm suffering more than others).

Reflection Questions

  1. How does Jesus's sharp question 'What is that to thee?' challenge our tendency to monitor and compare other Christians' callings and experiences?
  2. Why is it significant that Jesus uses a hypothetical ('If I will...') rather than actually revealing John's future to Peter?
  3. In what areas of life are you distracted from your own calling by observing others' paths, and how does Christ's command 'Follow thou me' reorient your focus?

Original Language Analysis

Greek · 16 words
λέγει1 of 16

“saith”

G3004

properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an

αὐτὸν2 of 16

“unto him”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

ὁ3 of 16
G3588

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)

Ἰησοῦς4 of 16

“Jesus”

G2424

jesus (i.e., jehoshua), the name of our lord and two (three) other israelites

Ἐὰν5 of 16

“If”

G1437

a conditional particle; in case that, provided, etc.; often used in connection with other particles to denote indefiniteness or uncertainty

αὐτὸν6 of 16

“unto him”

G846

the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons

θέλω7 of 16

“I will”

G2309

to determine (as an active option from subjective impulse; whereas g1014 properly denotes rather a passive acquiescence in objective considerations),

μένειν8 of 16

“that he tarry”

G3306

to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy)

ἕως9 of 16

“till”

G2193

a conjunction, preposition and adverb of continuance, until (of time and place)

ἔρχομαι10 of 16

“I come”

G2064

to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)

τί11 of 16

“what”

G5101

an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what (in direct or indirect questions)

πρὸς12 of 16

“is that to”

G4314

a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,

σέ13 of 16

“thee”

G4571

thee

σύ14 of 16

“thou”

G4771

thou

ἀκολούθει15 of 16

“follow”

G190

properly, to be in the same way with, i.e., to accompany (specially, as a disciple)

μοι16 of 16

“me”

G3427

to me

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of John. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

John 21:22 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to John 21:22 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Revelation 2:25Revelation 3:11Matthew 16:27-28Mark 9:11 Corinthians 4:5James 5:7

Test Your Knowledge

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