John 13:20 (ASV)

Passage

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Nearby Context

John 13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me.

John 13:19 From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he].

John 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

John 13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in the spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

John 13:22 The disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "verily", "receiveth", "whomsoever", and "send". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "verily" and "receiveth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "From henceforth I tell you before it..." into verse 21's "When Jesus had thus said he was...", so "verily" and "receiveth" belong inside that flow. In John context, the local focus is the identity of Jesus, new birth, eternal life, and belief and unbelief.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "verily" and "receiveth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.