Lost in Translation - Agape and Philia

Jesus said to them, "Come and eat." None of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. So Jesus went over, took the bread, and gave it to them; he did the same with the fish. This, then, was the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from death. After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?" "Yes, Lord," he answered, "you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Take care of my lambs." A second time Jesus said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord," he answered, "you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Take care of my sheep." A third time Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" and so he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!" Jesus said to him, "Take care of my sheep.
(John 21:12-17)

This is a well known Easter story in the Fourth Gospel, but almost every translation gets it wrong, or loses the nuance in the original Greek, from the Latin Vulgate, to the King James Bible to the modern New International Version, using one word "love" for two different Greek words. But in each of the first two times, Jesus asks the question using the word "agape", and Peter responds with a different (and in this context) lesser word for love, "philia", which is more like friendship or or fondness - for caring for someone. When translated this way - a better translation is given below - the last time Jesus questions Peter, he has asked him in Peter's own terms, he has met him where he is - and this subtlety - which is clearly important in understanding the text - is sadly lost in translation.

It is not just a mirror of the denial of Jesus by Peter we see here, but Jesus reaching out to meet Peter with his words where Peter is still unable to meet him after that denial. That extra layer of psychology makes the narrative much more powerful and interesting.

Jesus said to them, "Come, eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared to question Him, "Who are You?"--knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was manifested to His disciples, having been raised from the dead. So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I care for You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I care for You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you care for Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you care for Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I care for You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
(John 21:12-17)