Limitless Word
So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
John 20:21 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
  • KJV Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
  • BSB Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
  • NKJV So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! 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 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 you sent me into the world, even so I have sent them into the world.
  • Matt 28:18–20Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
  • John 13:20Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”
  • John 3:17For God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.
  • Mark 16:15–18He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation.
  • Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
  • Luke 24:47–49and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
  • Matt 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
  • Matt 10:40He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.
  • 2 Tim 2:2The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
  • John 14:27Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
  • Heb 3:1Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus;
  • John 21:15–17So when they had eaten their 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 have affection for you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
  • Isa 63:1–3Who is this who comes from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? Who this who is glorious in his clothing, marching in the greatness of his strength? “It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”
  • John 20:19When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to 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.