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Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
John 20:21 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
  • BSB Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
  • ESV Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
  • NKJV So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
  • NASB So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
  • NLT Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Jesus commissions the disciples: as the Father sent him, so he sends them. The church's mission flows from the risen Christ.

Overview

Repeating 'Peace be to you,' Jesus now sends the disciples as the Father had sent him, grounding their mission in his own. They are to continue his work of bearing witness to the gospel in the world. This commission, echoed in the other Gospels, defines the church as a sent people empowered by Christ.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 15

  • John 17:18–19As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
  • Matt 28:18–20And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
  • John 13:20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
  • John 3:17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
  • Mark 16:15–18And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
  • Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
  • Luke 24:47–49And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
  • Matt 10:16Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
  • Matt 10:40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
  • 2 Tim 2:2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
  • John 14:27Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
  • Heb 3:1Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
  • John 21:15–17So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
  • Isa 63:1–3Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
  • John 20:19Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 20:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 20:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.