Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
Parallel translations
- WEB Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.”
- KJV Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
- BSB So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about.
- NASB So Simon Peter *nodded to this disciple and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.”
- NLT Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, “Who’s he talking about?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Peter signals to this disciple to ask Jesus whom He means. It shows Peter using the beloved disciple's nearness to learn the betrayer's identity.
Overview
Unable to ask directly, Peter prompts the disciple closest to Jesus to inquire. The detail reflects the eyewitness texture of John's account. It advances the narrative toward the unveiling of Judas as the betrayer.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Acts 13:16Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.
- Acts 21:40When he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, beckoned with his hand to the people. When there was a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
- Luke 1:22When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
- Acts 12:17But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to James, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.
- Luke 5:7They beckoned to their partners in the other boat, that they should come and help them. They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
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Christ at the center
John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.
How John 13:24 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.