The Meaning of John 13:20 Explained

John 13:20

KJV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

YLT: verily, verily, I say to you, he who is receiving whomsoever I may send, doth receive me; and he who is receiving me, doth receive Him who sent me.'

Darby: Verily, verily, I say to you, He who receives whomsoever I shall send receives me; and he that receives me receives him who has sent me.

ASV: Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Verily,  verily,  I say  unto you,  He that receiveth  whomsoever  I send  receiveth  me;  and  he that receiveth  me  receiveth  him that sent  me. 

What does John 13:20 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Another strong asseveration underlined the statement that followed. In view of Jesus" claim to be the "I Amos ," the disciples needed to appreciate that they enjoyed an intimate relationship with Jesus as His messengers. This relationship was similar to the one that Jesus enjoyed with His Father (cf. John 5:19). Jesus was preparing them for the Great Commission ( John 20:21; cf. John 13:16). He was also warning Judas of the greatness of the sin that he anticipated committing.

Context Summary

John 13:12-20 - The Master's Example
Notwithstanding His great humility, Jesus expects to be regarded as Master and Lord; do we so call and treat Him? We must be as willing to obey Him as a soldier to obey his commanding officers, even when the order conflicts with his comfort, convenience, or safety. We must also do for each other, in our poor measure, what He has done for us, taking on us the form and work of a slave, that we may remove from each other any stain that may have been contracted. It is only when we have stooped to the simplest and lowest humility that we are able to lift our brethren to a purer and nobler life. Let us watch over each other's souls, as those who must give an account.
What sorrow must have constantly weighed on our Savior's heart in knowing that all His love and care would be resisted by Judas, as the rock in a flower garden refuses to respond to the genial influences of spring! To lift up the heel, that is to kick is emblematic of brutal malice. This treachery, foreseen by Christ, was transformed into a support of the disciples' faith. When the incident took place, as predicted, they knew that Jesus was all that He had declared Himself to be. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 13

1  Jesus washes the disciples' feet, and exhorts them to humility and charity
18  He foretells and discovers to John by a token, that Judas should betray him;
31  commands them to love one another;
36  and forewarns Peter of his denials

Greek Commentary for John 13:20

Whomsoever I send [αν τινα πεμπσω]
More precisely, “If I send any one” (third-class condition, ανεαν — an = τινα — ean and πεμπσω — tina indefinite pronoun accusative case, object of πεμπω — pempsō first aorist active subjunctive of ει τις — pempō to send). This use of εαν τις — ei tis or οστις — ean tis (if any one) is very much like the indefinite relative ος αν — hostis and εαν — hos an (or ει τις τελει — ean), but the idiom is different. In Mark 8:34. we have both ος εαν — ei tis thelei and οτι αν — hos ean while in John 14:13. we find εαν τι — hoti an and ean ti (Robertson, Grammar, p. 956). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 13:20

John 3:32 Receiveth [λαμβάνει]
Once only John uses δέχομαι for receive, of the Galilaeans receiving Christ (John 4:45). The distinction between the two is not sharply maintained, but δέχομαι commonly adds to the idea of taking, that of welcoming. Thus Demosthenes says that the Theban elders did not receive ( ἐδέξαντο ) i.e., with a welcome pleasure, the money which was offered them, nor did they take it ( ἔλαβον ). Λαμβάνει also includes the retaining of what is taken. Hence of receiving Christ (John 1:12; John 5:43; John 13:20). The phrase receive the witness is peculiar to John (John 3:11; John 5:34; 1 John 5:9). [source]
John 1:12 Received [ἔλαβον]
The simple verb of the compound παρέλαβον in John 1:11. The meaning of the two verbs is substantially the same (so Alford, De Wette, and apparently Meyer), though some recognize a difference, as Milligan and Moulton, who render παρέλαβον acceptedand ἔλαβον receivedand say that “the former lays emphasis upon the will that consented (or refused) to receive, while the latter brings before us the possession gained: so that the full meaning is, As many as by accepting Him, received Him.” For the use of the simple verb, see John 5:43; John 13:20; John 19:6. [source]
John 12:44 Cried and said [εκραχεν και ειπεν]
First aorist active indicative of κραζω — krazō to cry aloud, and second aorist active of defective verb ερω — erō to say. This is probably a summary of what Jesus had already said as in John 12:36 John closes the public ministry of Jesus without the Synoptic account of the last day in the temple on our Tuesday (Mark 11:27-12:44; Matt 21:23-23:39; Luke 20:1-21:4). Not on me, but on him “Not on me only, but also on,” another example of exaggerated contrast like that in John 12:30. The idea of Jesus here is a frequent one (believing on Jesus whom the Father has sent) as in John 3:17.; John 5:23, John 5:30, John 5:43; John 7:16; John 8:42; John 13:20; John 14:1; Matthew 10:40; Luke 9:48. [source]
Galatians 4:14 As Jesus Christ []
With even higher honor than an angel. Comp. Matthew 10:40; John 13:20. [source]
2 John 1:10 This teaching [μη λαμβανετε αυτον]
This teaching of Christ of 2 John 1:9, which is the standard by which to test Gnostic deceivers (2 John 1:7). John does not refer to entertaining strangers (Hebrews 13:2; 1 Timothy 5:10), but to the deceiving propagandists who were carrying dissension and danger with them.Receive him not (μη — mē lambanete auton). Present active imperative with λαμβανω — mē For εις οικιαν — lambanō in this sense see John 1:12; John 6:21; John 13:20.Into your house Definite without the article like our at home, to town.Give him no greeting (χαιρειν — chairein autōi mē legete). “Say not farewell to him.” Apparently λεγετε — chairein here (present active infinitive, object of μη — legete present active imperative with negative χαιρειν — mē) is used of farewell as in 2 Corinthians 13:11, though usually in the N.T. (Acts 15:23; Acts 23:26; James 1:1) of the salutation. But here the point turns on the stranger bringing into the house (or trying to do so) his heretical and harmful teaching which seems to be after the salutation is over. The usual greeting to a house is given in Luke 10:5. On the other hand, if chairein means greeting, not farewell, here, it can very well be understood of the peril of allowing these Gnostic propagandists to spread their pernicious teachings (cf. Mormons or Bolshevists) in home and church (usually meeting in the home). This is assuming that the men were known and not mere strangers. [source]
2 John 1:10 Receive him not [μη]
Present active imperative with λαμβανω — mē For εις οικιαν — lambanō in this sense see John 1:12; John 6:21; John 13:20. [source]
3 John 1:6 Thou wilt do well [καλως ποιησεις]
Future active of ποιεω — poieō with adverb καλως — kalōs a common polite phrase in letters (papyri) like our “please.” See also Acts 10:33; James 2:19; 1 Corinthians 7:37.; Philemon 4:14; 2 Peter 1:19.To set forward on their journey (προπεμπσας — propempsas). First aorist active participle (simultaneous action) of προπεμπω — propempō to send forward, “sending forward,” old word, in N.T. in Acts 15:3; Acts 20:38; Acts 21:5; 1 Corinthians 16:6, 1 Corinthians 16:11; 2 Corinthians 1:16; Romans 15:24; Titus 3:13.Worthily of God Precisely this phrase in 1 Thessalonians 2:12 and the genitive with αχιως — axiōs also in Romans 16:2; Philemon 1:27; Colossians 1:10; Ephesians 4:1. See John 13:20 for Christ‘s words on the subject. “Since they are God‘s representatives, treat them as you would God” (Holtzmann). From Homer‘s time (Od. XV. 74) it was customary to speed the parting guest, sometimes accompanying him, sometimes providing money and food. Rabbis were so escorted and Paul alludes to the same gracious custom in Romans 15:24; Titus 3:13. [source]
3 John 1:6 Worthily of God [αχιως του τεου]
Precisely this phrase in 1 Thessalonians 2:12 and the genitive with αχιως — axiōs also in Romans 16:2; Philemon 1:27; Colossians 1:10; Ephesians 4:1. See John 13:20 for Christ‘s words on the subject. “Since they are God‘s representatives, treat them as you would God” (Holtzmann). From Homer‘s time (Od. XV. 74) it was customary to speed the parting guest, sometimes accompanying him, sometimes providing money and food. Rabbis were so escorted and Paul alludes to the same gracious custom in Romans 15:24; Titus 3:13. [source]

What do the individual words in John 13:20 mean?

Truly I say to you the [one] receiving - any I shall send Me receives now the [One] having sent Me
ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν λαμβάνων ἄν τινα πέμψω ἐμὲ λαμβάνει δὲ τὸν πέμψαντά με

ἀμὴν  Truly 
Parse: Hebrew Word
Root: ἀμήν  
Sense: firm.
λέγω  I  say 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὑμῖν  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Plural
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
λαμβάνων  receiving 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
ἄν  - 
Parse: Particle
Root: ἄν  
Sense: has no exact English equivalent, see definitions under AV.
τινα  any 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
πέμψω  I  shall  send 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: πέμπω  
Sense: to send.
ἐμὲ  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
λαμβάνει  receives 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τὸν  the  [One] 
Parse: Article, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
πέμψαντά  having  sent 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: πέμπω  
Sense: to send.
με  Me 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Singular
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.