John 1:12 (YLT)

Passage

but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God--to those believing in his name,

Nearby Context

John 1:10 in the world he was, and the world through him was made, and the world did not know him:

John 1:11 to his own things he came, and his own people did not receive him;

John 1:12 but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God--to those believing in his name,

John 1:13 who--not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but--of God were begotten.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "receive", "gave", "authority", "become", "sons", "god--to", "believing", and "name". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "receive" and "gave", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "to his own things he came and..." into verse 13's "who--not of blood nor of a will...", so "receive" and "gave" 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 "receive" and "gave" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.