John 20:22 is the twenty-second verse of the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament. It records Jesus giving the Holy Spirit to the disciples during his first appearance after the resurrection.
Content The original Koine Greek, according to the Textus Receptus, reads: Greek Text Analysis: John 20:22 . Biblehub
In the King James Version of the Bible this verse is translated as: And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:: KJV
The modern World English Bible (WEB) translates the passage as: When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit!": WEB
For a collection of other versions see BibleHub John 20:22.
Analysis The account of Jesus' first post-resurrection appearance to the disciples in the Gospel of John (20:19-23) shows similarity to the account in the Gospel of Luke (), in that it happened in Jerusalem in the evening of his resurrection from the dead.
"He breathed on them" is from one Greek word , , recalling Genesis 2:7: And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.: NKJV
The command, "receive the Holy Spirit", serves to equip the disciples for their missionary work, which is dependent on the mission of the Son, as stated in verse 21. Readings differ as to whether the words refer to "the present actual reception of the Holy Spirit, or a promise of its future reception. Heinrich Meyer (1880) identified several theologians representative of both points of view.Meyer, H. A. W. (1880), Meyer's NT Commentary on John 20, translated by Peter Christie from the German sixth edition, accessed on 6 November 2025 Andreas Köstenberger suggests that this represents a symbolic promise anticipating the gift of the Spirit fifty days later at Pentecost (Acts 2). John Calvin notes that here the disciples were sprinkled with the grace of the Spirit,Calvin, J., Commentary on John - Volume 2: John 20:19-23 , accessed on 7 November 2025 but not yet saturated with the full enduement of power until Acts 2. and similarly theologian Henry Alford warns that The giving of the Spirit at this time was linked with the forgiving on sins (see verse 23).
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External links Jesus Appears to His Disciples