John 21:14 (KJV)

What does John 21:14 mean?

John 21:14 marks the lakeside meeting as the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after rising from the dead. The sentence helps readers place this meeting in the sequence of appearances described in John’s account.

The narrator speaks to the reader, rather than quoting Jesus or a disciple. Following the meal in verse 13, the narrator identifies the meeting as part of the same story that began on the day Jesus rose.

The Greek behind John 21:14

• “shewed himself” — φανερόω (phaneroō): The word carries the sense of making something visible or known. Here it describes Jesus becoming visible to the disciples.
• “risen” — ἐγείρω (egeirō): The word can mean to raise up or awaken. The Greek form here presents Jesus as having been raised from the dead.

Why John 21:14 matters

• The count refers to appearances to the disciples as a group. Earlier, John describes two such meetings: one when Thomas was absent and another when he was present (John 20:19–29).
• John also describes Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene before those group meetings (John 20:14–18). The wording “to his disciples” helps explain the count in John 21:14.