independentparticipialrelativecausecontentconditionaldashed = verbless / suspended
Flush-left = a main (independent) clause. Each dependent line begins directly beneath the word it attaches to in the line above — the anchor word is dotted-underlined, and lights up when you hover its dependent clause; each tag also names the attachment. A dashed border marks verbless, elliptical, or suspended lines. Where a long sentence's staircase runs wider than the page, the diagram scrolls sideways. (In print, or without JavaScript, lines fall back to stepped indent columns.)
The manifestation by the sea — the catch and the breakfast 21:1–14
vv. 1–3 — the seven together, and the night that yields nothing
1
Μετὰ ταῦτα ἐφανέρωσεν ἑαυτὸν πάλιν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης τῆς Τιβεριάδος·independent — Μετὰ ταῦτα, the Johannine scene-connector; φανερόω the chapter's controlling revelation-verb (again v. 14)
ἐφανέρωσεν δὲ οὕτως.independent — resumptive δέ — οὕτως points forward, deferring the 'how'
2
ἦσαν ὁμοῦ Σίμων Πέτρος καὶ Θωμᾶς ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος καὶ Ναθαναὴλ ὁ ἀπὸ Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ οἱ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ ἄλλοι ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ δύο.independent — asyndetic cast-list of seven — the Zebedees named only here in John; the anonymous two may veil the beloved disciple
3
λέγει αὐτοῖς Σίμων Πέτρος·independent — historic present — the vivid narration begins
Ὑπάγω ἁλιεύειν.content — Peter back to the nets — futuristic present; ἁλιεύω an NT hapax
λέγουσιν αὐτῷ·independent — historic present — the six follow
Ἐρχόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς σύν σοι.content — emphatic ἡμεῖς — the crew assembles
ἐξῆλθονindependent — prompt asyndetic action
καὶ ἐνέβησαν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον,independent — coordinate aorist — the embarkation
καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἐπίασαν οὐδέν.independent — the night of nothing — human effort empty without the word (cf. Luke 5:5)
vv. 4–8 — dawn: the stranger's command, the recognition, Peter's plunge
4
πρωΐας δὲ ἤδη γενομένηςparticipial — genitive absolute — leans forward on ἔστη; dawn after the empty night
ἔστη Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὸν αἰγιαλόν·independent — ingressive aorist — the risen Lord takes his stand at the water's edge
οὐ μέντοι ᾔδεισαν οἱ μαθηταὶindependent — μέντοι — the non-recognition motif of the appearances (20:14; Luke 24:16)
ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν.content — retained present ἐστιν in indirect discourse
5
λέγει οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present with narrative οὖν
Παιδία, μή τι προσφάγιον ἔχετε;content — μή-question expecting 'No'; Παιδία the affectionate address; προσφάγιον an NT hapax of Galilean color
ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ·independent — the terse reply-frame
Οὔ.content — the monosyllable of defeat — verbless
6
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς·independent — anaphoric ὁ δέ — the unrecognized stranger speaks
Βάλετε εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τοῦ πλοίου τὸ δίκτυον,content — the command — cf. Luke 5:4; the right, the favored side
καὶ εὑρήσετε.content — predictive future — the promise of the one who knows the lake
ἔβαλον οὖν,independent — obedience — οὖν ties the cast to the command
καὶ οὐκέτι αὐτὸ ἑλκύσαι ἴσχυον ἀπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἰχθύων.independent — imperfect of continuing inability; causal ἀπό — the reversal of the empty night
7
λέγει οὖν ὁ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῷ Πέτρῳ·independent — historic present; ἐκεῖνος flags the beloved disciple — perception his part, action Peter's (cf. 20:8)
Ὁ κύριός ἐστιν.content — the recognition-cry — the resurrection title (20:2, 28)
Σίμων οὖν Πέτρος, ἀκούσας ὅτι ὁ κύριός ἐστιν,participial — preposed participle with its ὅτι-content kept in line — leans forward on διεζώσατο
τὸν ἐπενδύτην διεζώσατο,independent — ἐπενδύτης — the work-cloak girded on before the swim
ἦν γὰρ γυμνός,cause — narrator's γάρ-aside — the eyewitness detail
καὶ ἔβαλεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν.independent — Peter's plunge — impetuous devotion outrunning the boat
8
οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι μαθηταὶ τῷ πλοιαρίῳ ἦλθον,independent — the crew's slower way — πλοιάριον, the diminutive
οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν μακρὰν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἀλλὰ ὡς ἀπὸ πηχῶν διακοσίων,cause — narrator's γάρ-aside — the eyewitness measurement, about ninety meters
σύροντες τὸ δίκτυον τῶν ἰχθύων.participial — concurrent participle — the haul towed behind
vv. 9–14 — the charcoal fire, the 153, and breakfast with the risen Lord
9
ὡς οὖν ἀπέβησαν εἰς τὴν γῆν,conditional — temporal ὡς (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans forward on βλέπουσιν
βλέπουσιν ἀνθρακιὰν κειμένην καὶ ὀψάριον ἐπικείμενον καὶ ἄρτον.independent — historic present; ἀνθρακιά only here and 18:18 — the fire of the denial answered
10
λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present
Ἐνέγκατε ἀπὸ τῶν ὀψαρίων ὧν ἐπιάσατε νῦν.content — partitive ἀπό; attracted relative ὧν — their catch drawn into his meal
11
ἀνέβη οὖν Σίμων Πέτροςindependent — Peter answers the command alone
καὶ εἵλκυσεν τὸ δίκτυον εἰς τὴν γῆν μεστὸν ἰχθύων μεγάλων ἑκατὸν πεντήκοντα τριῶν·independent — the eyewitness count — 153, the triangular number of 17; allegorized since Jerome, uninterpreted by the text
καὶ τοσούτων ὄντωνparticipial — concessive genitive absolute — leans forward on ἐσχίσθη
οὐκ ἐσχίσθη τὸ δίκτυον.independent — the unbroken net — against Luke 5:6, where the nets were tearing; read ecclesially since the Fathers
12
λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present — the invitation
Δεῦτε ἀριστήσατε.content — the risen Lord as host — ἀριστάω, the morning meal
οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐτόλμα τῶν μαθητῶν ἐξετάσαι αὐτόν·independent — narrator's aside — imperfect ἐτόλμα, the awed restraint
Σύ τίς εἶ;content — the question none dares to voice — emphatic Σύ
εἰδότες ὅτι ὁ κύριός ἐστιν.participial — causal participle — recognition now certain, beyond need of asking
13
ἔρχεται Ἰησοῦςindependent — historic present — the host approaches
καὶ λαμβάνει τὸν ἄρτονindependent — historic present — the gesture of 6:11, the feeding by this same sea
καὶ δίδωσιν αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὸ ὀψάριον ὁμοίως.independent — historic present — λαμβάνειν and διδόναι, the eucharistic cadence
14
τοῦτο ἤδη τρίτον ἐφανερώθη Ἰησοῦς τοῖς μαθηταῖςindependent — narrator's tally — passive of the framing verb φανερόω (v. 1); third after 20:19 and 20:26
ἐγερθεὶς ἐκ νεκρῶν.participial — temporal aorist participle — the resurrection as ground of every appearance
The threefold restoration of Peter 21:15–19
vv. 15–17 — the three questions: ἀγαπᾷς, ἀγαπᾷς, φιλεῖς
15
Ὅτε οὖν ἠρίστησαν,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd; no temporal key) — leans forward on λέγει
λέγει τῷ Σίμωνι Πέτρῳ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present — the examination begins beside a charcoal fire, as the denials began (18:18)
Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς με πλέον τούτων;content — first question — ἀγαπᾷς; πλέον τούτων ambiguous: more than these men do, or more than these things — left open
λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present
Ναί, κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε.content — Peter answers with φιλῶ, not ἀγαπῶ — the chapter's central lexical crux: real distinction (Barrett, Carson) or Johannine synonym-variation (Moulton)
λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present
Βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου.content — first commission — βόσκε, the feeding; ἀρνία, the lambs; the flock is μου, his
16
λέγει αὐτῷ πάλιν δεύτερον·independent — historic present — the doubled marker πάλιν δεύτερον
Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς με;content — second question — ἀγαπᾷς again, the comparison now dropped
λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present
Ναί, κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε.content — the identical answer — φιλῶ again, word for word
λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present
Ποίμαινε τὰ πρόβατά μου.content — second commission — ποίμαινε, the shepherd's whole office; πρόβατα now, the variation mirroring ἀγαπάω/φιλέω
17
λέγει αὐτῷ τὸ τρίτον·independent — historic present — the third asking, matching the three denials (18:17, 25, 27)
Σίμων Ἰωάννου, φιλεῖς με;content — third question — Jesus now takes up Peter's own φιλεῖς; descent to his word or mere variation, the crux stands
ἐλυπήθη ὁ Πέτροςindependent — the grief — the third asking touches the third denial
ὅτι εἶπεν αὐτῷ τὸ τρίτον·cause — causal ὅτι — the count itself wounds
Φιλεῖς με;content — the repeated word quoted
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ·independent — aorist now — the historic-present chain breaks for Peter's appeal
Κύριε, πάντα σὺ οἶδας, σὺ γινώσκεις ὅτι φιλῶ σε.content — the appeal to omniscience — οἶδας and γινώσκεις paired; φιλῶ to the last
λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present resumes
Βόσκε τὰ πρόβατά μου.content — third commission — three denials, three confessions, three charges: the restoration complete
vv. 18–19 — the stretched-out hands, and ἀκολούθει μοι
18
ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι,content — the double amen — the solemn oracle over Peter's future, continuing under the λέγει of v. 17
ὅτε ἦς νεώτερος,conditional — temporal ὅτε (typed cnd) — leans forward on ἐζώννυες
ἐζώννυες σεαυτὸνcontent — customary imperfect — the freedom of youth; ζώννυμι echoing διεζώσατο (v. 7)
καὶ περιεπάτειςcontent — customary imperfect — self-directed movement
ὅπου ἤθελες·relative — local relative ὅπου — will and way once aligned
ὅταν δὲ γηράσῃς,conditional — indefinite temporal ὅταν + subjunctive (typed cnd) — leans forward on ἐκτενεῖς
ἐκτενεῖς τὰς χεῖράς σου,content — the prophetic future — early readers heard crucifixion in the outstretched hands
καὶ ἄλλος σε ζώσειcontent — the passivity of the end — another's belt, another's will
καὶ οἴσειcontent — οἴσει — borne along, no longer walking free
ὅπου οὐ θέλεις.relative — the antithesis closed — ὅπου ἤθελες against ὅπου οὐ θέλεις
19
τοῦτο δὲ εἶπενindependent — narrator's interpretive aside begins — the formula of 12:33 and 18:32
σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ δοξάσει τὸν θεόν.participial — σημαίνων with its indirect question kept in line — martyrdom as doxology; the crucifixion reading confirmed by early tradition
καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼνparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans forward on λέγει
λέγει αὐτῷ·independent — historic present
Ἀκολούθει μοι.content — present imperative — the discipleship-word of 1:43 spoken again, now toward a cross
The beloved disciple, the rumor, and the attestation 21:20–25
vv. 20–23 — 'what about him?' — the saying and the rumor corrected
20
Ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Πέτροςparticipial — preposed participle with its subject — leans forward on βλέπει
βλέπει τὸν μαθητὴν ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀκολουθοῦντα,independent — historic present; ἀκολουθοῦντα — the beloved disciple already doing what Peter was just commanded
ὃς καὶ ἀνέπεσεν ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦrelative — narrator's identifying flashback to 13:25 — the credential of intimacy
καὶ εἶπεν·relative — coordinate relative clause — the supper question recalled
Κύριε, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραδιδούς σε;content — the quoted question of 13:25 — παραδιδούς, the betrayal participle
21
τοῦτον οὖν ἰδὼν ὁ Πέτροςparticipial — preposed aorist participle — leans forward on λέγει
λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ·independent — historic present
Κύριε, οὗτος δὲ τί;content — verbless question — Peter's gaze deflected from his own path to his brother's
22
λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς·independent — historic present
Ἐὰν αὐτὸν θέλω μένειν ἕως ἔρχομαι,conditional — protasis inside quoted speech — leans forward on the verbless apodosis; ἕως ἔρχομαι, the parousia
τί πρός σε;content — verbless apodosis — the rebuff of comparison
σύ μοι ἀκολούθει.content — emphatic σύ fronted with μοι — the command of v. 19 doubled down
23
ἐξῆλθεν οὖν οὗτος ὁ λόγος εἰς τοὺς ἀδελφούς,independent — narrator's correction begins — οἱ ἀδελφοί, the community's self-designation
ὅτι ὁ μαθητὴς ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἀποθνήσκει·content — the rumor's content — epexegetic ὅτι on ὁ λόγος
οὐκ εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦςindependent — the correction — implying the beloved disciple had died and the saying now needed exegesis
ὅτι οὐκ ἀποθνήσκει,content — what was not said — the rumor's words disowned
ἀλλ' Ἐὰν αὐτὸν θέλω μένειν ἕως ἔρχομαι,conditional — the protasis re-quoted verbatim after ἀλλά — conditional, not promise
τί πρός σε;content — verbless apodosis — the exact words, and nothing more
vv. 24–25 — the attestation, and the world that could not contain the books
24
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ μαθητὴς ὁ μαρτυρῶν περὶ τούτων καὶ ὁ γράψας ταῦτα,independent — the colophon — present μαρτυρῶν beside aorist γράψας; the third-person authorial claim, read by many as the community presenting his testimony
καὶ οἴδαμενindependent — the community's 'we' — unparalleled in the Gospel proper; the attesting circle
ὅτι ἀληθὴς αὐτοῦ ἡ μαρτυρία ἐστίν.content — ἀληθής — the Gospel's own criterion (19:35) applied to its author
25
Ἔστιν δὲ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰindependent — the final sentence — existential Ἔστιν fronted
ἃ ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς,relative — the deeds beyond the book — echoing the first ending, 20:30
ἅτινα ἐὰν γράφηται καθ' ἕν,conditional — connective relative ἅτινα fused with an ἐὰν protasis — leans forward on οἶμαι; distributive καθ' ἕν
οὐδ' αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρήσειν τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία.independent — the closing hyperbole — a classical topos of inexhaustibility (cf. Sir 43:27; Philo); οἶμαι, the writer's lone first-person singular
Analysis. John 21 is narrative laced with dialogue, and the layout shows both: flush-left purple mainline verbs, an unusual share of them historic presents (λέγει again and again — flagged as they land), with the Johannine scene-machinery indenting around them — forward-leaning genitive absolutes and preposed participles (πρωΐας δὲ ἤδη γενομένης, Σίμων οὖν Πέτρος ἀκούσας, καὶ τοσούτων ὄντων, Ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Πέτρος, τοῦτον οὖν ἰδών), temporal ὡς/ὅτε/ὅταν clauses typed cnd for want of a temporal key, and speech hanging blue (cnt) under its verb of saying, so that vv. 15–17 read as three matched staircases: λέγει — question — λέγει — answer — λέγει — commission, three times over. The narrator's asides sit on the mainline or hang as γάρ-clauses (ἦν γὰρ γυμνός; the two-hundred-cubit measurement of v. 8; the none-dared-ask note of v. 12; the third-appearance tally of v. 14; the death-signifying gloss of v. 19; the supper flashback of v. 20; the rumor-correction of v. 23) — the epilogue is the most self-glossing chapter in the Gospel, and the layout lets the glosses visibly interrupt. Cruxes flagged, not resolved: the ἀγαπᾷς/ἀγαπᾷς/φιλεῖς — φιλῶ/φιλῶ/φιλῶ alternation of vv. 15–17 is tagged where each word falls, real semantic descent (so Barrett, Carson, Köstenberger) or Johannine synonym-variation (so Moulton and a minority), as is the parallel βόσκε/ποίμαινε and ἀρνία/πρόβατα variation; πλέον τούτων in v. 15 is left open between 'more than these men love me' and 'more than these things'; the 153 of v. 11 is tagged as the triangular number of 17, allegorized since Jerome, uninterpreted by the text; and v. 22's Ἐὰν protasis is laid out exactly as v. 23 insists it be read — a conditional leaning forward on its verbless apodosis, not a promise that the beloved disciple would not die. The chapter ends with the community's οἴδαμεν vouching flush-left for the disciple who wrote, and the world that could not contain the books.