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He Shows Goodwill Tells the Good Story 21

21
BACK TO FISHING
1A while later, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) showed himself again to his followers by Lake of Circle of Nations (Sea of Galilee), also called Sea of Rolling Water (Sea of Tiberias).
2Stands on the Rock (Peter) along with other followers of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had gathered there. With him were Looks Like His Brother (Thomas), Creator Gives (Nathanael) from Village of Reeds (Cana) in Circle of Nations (Galilee), the two sons of Gift of Creator (Zebedee), and two other followers.
3Stands on the Rock (Peter) said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They all agreed and said, “Take us with you.”
So they took a canoe out onto the lake. Under the light of the moon and stars they worked hard all night. Again and again they threw out their nets and drew them back in—empty.
4Just as the first light of day was dawning, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) came and stood on the shore. But they did not know it was he.
5“Friends,” he called out to them, “have you netted any fish?”
“No!” they answered.
6“Throw out your nets to the right of your canoe,” he shouted to them. “You will find some fish there.”
They did as he said, and the net was filled with so many fish they could not pull it into the canoe. 7He Shows Goodwill (John), the much-loved follower of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), said to Stands on the Rock (Peter), “It is our Wisdomkeeper!”
Stands on the Rock (Peter) had taken off his outer garment to fish. He put it back on and jumped into the water. 8The shore was not far, so the others made their way in, dragging the net full of fish behind the canoe.
They came to the shore and stepped out of the canoe. 9They saw a warm fire with fish cooking over the coals and some frybread to eat.
HE FEEDS HIS FOLLOWERS
10Creator Sets Free (Jesus) looked up from cooking and said, “Bring me some of the fish you caught.”
11Stands on the Rock (Peter) climbed into the canoe and pulled the net to shore. The fish were large, and they counted them—one hundred and fifty-three in all! But even with so many fish the net did not tear.
12Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said, “Let us eat.”
They all sat down to eat, but no one dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it must be their Wisdomkeeper.
13He took the frybread and gave some to each of them, along with a piece of fish. 14This was the third time he had shown himself to them after coming back to life from the dead.
STANDS ON THE ROCK RESTORED
15When they had finished eating, Creator Sets Free (Jesus) took Stands on the Rock (Peter) and sat down with him by the lake.
He spoke to him, using the name his family gave him, “One Who Hears (Simon), son of Gift of Kindness (John), do you love me more than the others love me?”
“Yes, Wisdomkeeper,” he answered, “you know I am your friend.”
“Then feed my lambs,” he said.
They sat looking out over the water and listening to the sound of the waves coming in to the shore.
16Then a second time Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked, “One Who Hears (Simon), son of Gift of Kindness (John), do you love me?”
“Yes, Wisdomkeeper,” he answered him again, “you know how deeply I care for you.”
“Then watch over my sheep,” he said.
The sound of the water birds could be heard in the distance, and the sun felt warm as it rose higher in the sky.
17Creator Sets Free (Jesus) asked him a third time, “One Who Hears (Simon), Son of Gift of Kindness (John), do you love me as a friend?”
Stands on the Rock (Peter) felt his heart sink because he asked the third time, “Do you love me as a friend?”
“Wisdomkeeper!” he said, “you know all things, you must know how deeply I care for you. I am your friend!”
Creator Sets Free (Jesus) said to him again, “Feed my sheep.”
18Creator Sets Free (Jesus) then said to him, “I tell you from my heart, when you were a young man, you dressed yourself and walked wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will dress you and take you to a place you do not want to go.”
19He was telling him the kind of death he would die, to bring honor to Creator.
Then he said to Stands on the Rock (Peter), “Come, walk the road with me.”
This was the same invitation he had given years earlier to Stands on the Rock (Peter) in Circle of Nations (Galilee) after the canoes had been filled with fish.
WALK THE ROAD I HAVE CHOSEN
20Stands on the Rock (Peter) looked over at He Shows Goodwill (John), the much-loved follower of Creator Sets Free (Jesus). He was the same one who, during the ceremonial meal, had leaned back and asked, “Wisdomkeeper, who will betray you?”
21When Stands on the Rock (Peter) saw him, he said to Creator Sets Free (Jesus), “Wisdomkeeper, what about this man, how will he die?”
22Creator Sets Free (Jesus) answered him, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, why would it matter? You must walk the road I have chosen for you.”
23When the others heard what Creator Sets Free (Jesus) had said about He Shows Goodwill (John), talk began to go around that he would never die. But Creator Sets Free (Jesus) did not say he would not die. He said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, why would it matter to you?”
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STORY
24The one telling you this story has seen and heard these things with his own eyes, and all can agree he is telling the truth. 25Many more things could be told about Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the message of his good road, and the people his life touched. This story has been written down in a book, but not everything. For he did so many things, if they were all written down in books, the whole world would not have room for them.
Aho! May it be so!

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