22
Andκαὶhaving saidεἰπὼνthis,τοῦτοhe breathed on themἐνεφύσησενandκαὶsaysλέγειto them,αὐτοῖς“ReceiveΛάβετεthe HolyἅγιονSpirit.πνεῦμα
John 20:22
Study it in the app“And having said this, he breathed on them and says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
With the Greek beneath
John 20:22, word by word
- having saidεἰπὼνeipōn
say
To express something in words to others.
Where else “eipōn” appears- he breathed on themἐνεφύσησενenephysēsen
breathe on
Breathe on someone.
Where else “enephysēsen” appears- “ReceiveΛάβετεLabete
receive
To be given something, like the Spirit.
Where else “Labete” appears- the Holyἅγιονhagion
Holy Spirit
God's Spirit, who is his own and sets people apart for him.
Where else “hagion” appears- Spiritπνεῦμαpneuma
Spirit
God himself at work, giving life and dwelling in believers.
Where else “pneuma” appears
Translation note
It is the same verb the Greek OT uses when God breathes the breath of life into the human being (Genesis 2:7).
Parallel passages
Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.
Jesus appears to the eleven
Mark 16:14 summarizes the appearance; the ending of Mark is not in the oldest manuscripts.
See them side by side
John 20:19-23
19So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors where the disciples were had been locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle and says to them, “Peace to you.” 20And having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.” 22And having said this, he breathed on them and says to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they have been forgiven them; if you retain those of any, they have been retained.”
36And while they were saying these things, he himself stood in the middle of them. 37But startled and terrified, they thought they were seeing a spirit. 38And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your heart? 39See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Do you have anything to eat here?” 42And they gave him a piece of broiled fish; 43and he took it and ate it before them.
14Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen him raised.
The context
21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”
22 · This verse (above)
23If you forgive the sins of any, they have been forgiven them; if you retain those of any, they have been retained.”
To study John 20 in a group
1. What it says
What does Mary Magdalene see at the tomb, and at what moment does she recognize Jesus? (vv. 11-18)
2. What it means
Thomas says he will not believe without seeing and touching, and then answers, “My Lord and my God.” What does Jesus say to him? (vv. 24-29)
3. How I live it
John wrote these signs so that we may believe and have life (v. 31). What doubt or question would you like to bring to Jesus today?