King James Bible
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him."
Jesus uses the double "verily" (Greek: amen, amen) to emphasize the absolute truth and importance of what follows. This solemn formula appears frequently in John's Gospel when Jesus introduces profound spiritual principles. Jesus establishes a fundamental hierarchy principle immediately after washing the disciples' feet. If the Master serves humbly, the servants cannot consider themselves above such service—a direct challenge to their cultural expectations of honor and status. This parallel statement reinforces the principle using apostolic language: the sent one (apostle) remains subordinate to the sender. Jesus applies this to the disciples' future mission, reminding them that their authority derives from him and requires matching his humble example.