The Empty Tomb(A)

20 Now the (B)first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the (C)stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the (D)other disciple, (E)whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

(F)Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he, stooping down and looking in, saw (G)the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and (H)the [a]handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the (I)other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not [b]know the (J)Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

11 (K)But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 (L)Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and (M)did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, (N)“Mary!”

She turned and said to [c]Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet (O)ascended to My Father; but go to (P)My brethren and say to them, (Q)‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to (R)My God and your God.’ ”

18 (S)Mary Magdalene came and told the [d]disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

The Apostles Commissioned(T)

19 (U)Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were [e]assembled, for (V)fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, (W)“Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He (X)showed them His hands and His side. (Y)Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! (Z)As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 (AA)If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Seeing and Believing

24 Now Thomas, (AB)called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and (AC)reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be (AD)unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, [f]“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. (AE)Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That You May Believe

30 And (AF)truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 (AG)but these are written that (AH)you may believe that Jesus (AI)is the Christ, the Son of God, (AJ)and that believing you may have life in His name.

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Footnotes

  1. John 20:7 face cloth
  2. John 20:9 understand
  3. John 20:16 NU adds in Hebrew
  4. John 20:18 NU disciples, “I have seen the Lord,”
  5. John 20:19 NU omits assembled
  6. John 20:29 NU, M omit Thomas

The Empty Tomb(A)

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene(B) went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.(C) So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,(D) and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”(E)

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.(F) Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in(G) at the strips of linen(H) lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.(I) The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first,(J) also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture(K) that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)(L) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb(M) 12 and saw two angels in white,(N) seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”(O)

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”(P) 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,(Q) but she did not realize that it was Jesus.(R)

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?(S) Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,(T) “Rabboni!”(U) (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers(V) and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father(W) and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene(X) went to the disciples(Y) with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,(Z) Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace(AA) be with you!”(AB) 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.(AC) The disciples were overjoyed(AD) when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!(AE) As the Father has sent me,(AF) I am sending you.”(AG) 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.(AH) 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”(AI)

Jesus Appears to Thomas

24 Now Thomas(AJ) (also known as Didymus[a]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,(AK) I will not believe.”(AL)

26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace(AM) be with you!”(AN) 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”(AO)

28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;(AP) blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”(AQ)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

30 Jesus performed many other signs(AR) in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.(AS) 31 But these are written that you may believe[b](AT) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,(AU) and that by believing you may have life in his name.(AV)

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Footnotes

  1. John 20:24 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
  2. John 20:31 Or may continue to believe