John 15:21 (DBY)

Passage

But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they have not known him that sent me.

Nearby Context

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on account of this the world hates you.

John 15:20 Remember the word which I said unto you, The bondman is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will keep also yours.

John 15:21 But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they have not known him that sent me.

John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

John 15:23 He that hates me hates also my Father.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "things", "account", "name", "known", and "sent". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "things" and "account", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "Remember the word which I said unto..." into verse 22's "If I had not come and spoken...", so "things" and "account" 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 "things" and "account" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.