ris3n's Apologetics Codex

John 20.21

type: passage created: 2026-05-06 updated: 2026-05-06 book: John chapter: 20 verses: "21" translation_default: ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT tags: [scripture] citation_count: 1 enriched: false

Quoted in

There are ads on our codex that pay for hosting and keep the codex free. If you can, please consider whitelisting ris3n.com or allowing scripts to support the work.

Sponsored

John 20.21

Book: John · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"19. When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20. And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord."

"21. Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

"22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: 23. whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:19-23, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"19. When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord."

"21. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”"

"22. When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! 23. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”" (John 20:19-23, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord."

"21. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

"22. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:19-23, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"19. It being, therefore, evening, on that day, the first of the sabbaths, and the doors having been shut where the disciples were assembled, through fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith to them, 'Peace to you;' 20. and this having said, he shewed them his hands and side; the disciples, therefore, rejoiced, having seen the Lord."

"21. Jesus, therefore, said to them again, 'Peace to you; according as the Father hath sent me, I also send you;'"

"22. and this having said, he breathed on [them], and saith to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit; 23. if of any ye may loose the sins, they are loosed to them; if of any ye may retain, they have been retained.'" (John 20:19-23, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
  • Audience: later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
  • Location: first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
  • Time period: events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

Theological reading

Key words

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.