God’s Word Translation
John 15:20
20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant isn’t greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they did what I said, they will also do what you say.
John 15:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
- New International Version (NIV)Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
Context of John 15:20
18“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me before it hated you. 19If you had anything in common with the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But you don’t have anything in common with the world. I chose you from the world, and that’s why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant isn’t greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they did what I said, they will also do what you say. 21Indeed, they will do all this to you because you are committed to me, since they don’t know the one who sent me. 22If I hadn’t come and spoken to them, they wouldn’t have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.
Read all of John 15John 15:20 word by word
μνημονεύετε τοῦ λόγου οὗ ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν· οὐκ ἔστιν δοῦλος μείζων τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ. εἰ ἐμὲ ἐδίωξαν καὶ ὑμᾶς διώξουσιν· εἰ τὸν λόγον μου ἐτήρησαν καὶ τὸν ὑμέτερον τηρήσουσιν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Rememberμνημονεύωmnēmoneuō · to rememberG3421
- the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
- Iἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- unto youσύsu · youG4771
- The servantδοῦλοςdoulos · slaveG1401
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- notοὐou · noG3756
- greater thanμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- lordκύριοςkurios · lord: masterG2962
- Ifεἰei · ifG1487
- they have persecutedδιώκωdiōkō · to pursueG1377
- alsoκαίkai · andG2532
- they have keptτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
- yoursὑμέτεροςhumeteros · yourG5212
Cross-references for John 15:20
- John 5:16The Jews began to persecute Jesus because he kept healing people on the day of rest—a holy day.
- John 7:32The Pharisees heard the crowd saying things like this about him. So the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest Jesus.
- John 8:59Then some of the Jews picked up stones to throw at Jesus. However, Jesus was concealed, and he left the temple courtyard.
- John 10:31The Jews had again brought some rocks to stone Jesus to death.
- John 11:57(The chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that whoever knew where Jesus was should tell them so that they could arrest him.)
- John 13:16I can guarantee this truth: Slaves are not superior to their owners, and messengers are not superior to the people who send them.
- Matthew 10:24“A student is not better than his teacher. Nor is a slave better than his owner.
- Luke 2:34Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother, “This child is the reason that many people in Israel will be condemned and many others will be saved. He will be a sign that will expose
- Luke 6:40A student is no better than his teacher. But everyone who is well-trained will be like his teacher.
- Acts 4:27“In this city Herod and Pontius Pilate made plans together with non-Jewish people and the people of Israel. They made their plans against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
- Acts 7:52Was there ever a prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute? They killed those who predicted that a man with God’s approval would come. You have now become the people who betrayed and murdered that man.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and who have persecuted us severely. They are displeasing to God. They are enemies of the whole human race
- 1 Samuel 8:7The Lord told Samuel, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven’t rejected you; they’ve rejected me.
- Isaiah 53:1Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord’s power been revealed?
- Ezekiel 3:7But the people of Israel will refuse to listen to you because they refuse to listen to me. All the people of Israel are very stubborn and hardheaded.
Commentaries on John 15:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20If they have kept my saying - Or, doctrine. Whosoever acknowledges me for the Christ will acknowledge you for my ministers. Some translate the passage thus: If they have Watched my sayings, i.e. with an intent to accuse me for something which I have said, they will Watch yours also: therefore be on your guard. has this sense, as we have had occasion to observe before; and perhaps has the same sense here, as it is much more agreeable to the context.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Remember the word that I said - At their first appointment to the apostolic office. See Matthew 10:24-25.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-25Verses 18-25 How little do many persons think, that in opposing the doctrine of Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, they prove themselves ignorant of the one living and true God, whom they profess to worship! The name into which Christ's disciples were baptized, is that which they will live and die by. It is a comfort to the greatest sufferers, if they suffer for Christ's name's sake. The world's ignorance is the true cause of its hatred to the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20No servant is greater than his master: See study note on 13:16. The disciples of Jesus should live like him in every way, even when they face suffering or death because of their faith.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 17-2117-21. The substance of these important verses has occurred more than once before. (See on Mt 10:34-36; Lu 12:49-53, &c.).Read the comment
Topics related to John 15:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on John 15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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