Day 5 – Children, Have Ye Any Meat?

Words of the Risen Lord

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.…
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.
— John 21:5–12 (KJV)

The Moment

After these things, Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, John, and two others had returned to fishing—but caught nothing through the night (see John 21:1–3). In the morning light, a figure stood on the shore. They didn’t recognize Him. Then He called out: “Children, have ye any meat?” When they answered no, He said: “Cast the net on the right side… and ye shall find” (see John 21:5–6). They obeyed—and the net filled with 153 great fishes. John said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” And Peter, impetuous as ever, jumped into the sea and swam to Him (see John 21:7). On the shore, they found a fire of coals with fish laid thereon and bread. Jesus said to them, “Come and dine.” None dared ask Him who He was—for they knew (see John 21:9–12).

Insights from Scripture and Prophets

The Savior’s question—“Children, have ye any meat?”—He calls them “children”—not in condescension, but intimacy. It is the language of family, of stewardship, of belonging.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught:

“If you love me, feed my sheep, He said—not ‘go back to your former life.’ … The call is to come forward—to move ahead. To be forever changed.”
— Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, April 2012 General Conference

This third appearance to the disciples recalls the miracle from the beginning of their ministry. He’s not just feeding their bodies—He’s preparing their hearts for what comes next. The miraculous catch, the shared meal, the warmth of the fire—each is part of a deeper transformation: from fishermen to Apostles, from disciples to witnesses.