New King James Version
John 15:20
20Remember 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.
Context of John 15:20
18“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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. 21But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no 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 5:16For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
- John 7:32The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.
- John 8:59Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
- John 10:31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.
- John 11:57Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
- John 13:16Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.
- Matthew 10:24“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
- Luke 2:34Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against
- Luke 6:40A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
- Acts 4:27“For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together
- Acts 7:52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,
- 1 Thessalonians 2:15who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men,
- 1 Samuel 8:7And the Lord said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.
- Isaiah 53:1Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
- Ezekiel 3:7But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries