John 21
Breakfast by the sea
After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
In Galilee, Peter and six other disciples fish all night and catch nothing; at dawn a figure on the shore tells them to cast the net on the right side, and they haul in a huge catch. The beloved disciple recognises Jesus, and Peter jumps into the water. On shore Jesus has a charcoal fire with fish and bread, and serves them breakfast.
What does this mean?
"Children, have ye any meat?" (KJV) means "Friends, have you caught anything to eat?" "Naked" (KJV, WEB) probably means stripped for work, in a light undergarment. Two hundred cubits is about 90 metres (100 yards).
Historical context
Fishing on the Sea of Galilee was often done at night with nets. "The sons of Zebedee", James and John, are mentioned only here in John's Gospel. Luke 5 tells a similar story of a miraculous catch at the beginning of Jesus' ministry.
Why does it matter?
Many symbolic meanings have been proposed for the 153 fish, none certain. The meal of bread and fish recalls the feeding in chapter 6, and the charcoal fire recalls the fire where Peter denied Jesus (18:18).
Editorial notes, not scripture.