John / Chapter 20

John 20

31 verses • SBL Greek New Testament 1 tradition available

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

John 20 narrates the resurrection and its aftermath: Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb, Peter and the Beloved Disciple investigate, Mary encounters the risen Jesus in the garden, Jesus appears to the gathered disciples and commissions them with the Holy Spirit, and Thomas moves from doubt to the climactic confession 'My Lord and my God.' The chapter concludes with the Gospel's purpose statement: 'these are written so that you may believe.'

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

This chapter contains some of the most intimate and theologically significant scenes in the Gospels. Mary Magdalene's encounter with the risen Jesus (vv. 11-18) is deeply personal — she recognizes him only when he speaks her name, echoing the shepherd who 'calls his own sheep by name' (10:3). Thomas's confession 'My Lord and my God' (v. 28) is the highest Christological declaration in the Gospel, forming an inclusio with the Prologue's 'the Word was God' (1:1). The purpose statement (vv. 30-31) reveals that the entire Gospel has been evangelistic testimony designed to produce faith.

Translation Friction

Mary's instruction 'Do not cling to me' (v. 17) with the explanation 'I have not yet ascended' is theologically puzzling — the relationship between touching Jesus and his ascension is not self-evident. We render the Greek without resolving the debate. The phrase 'he breathed on them' (v. 22) uses the same verb (emphysaō) as Genesis 2:7 in the Septuagint, suggesting a deliberate new-creation parallel. Whether this constitutes the Johannine Pentecost or an anticipation of Acts 2 is debated.

Connections

The empty tomb narrative connects to all four Gospel accounts while retaining John's distinctive perspective. Mary's garden encounter echoes Song of Songs 3:1-4 (seeking the beloved). The breathing of the Spirit echoes Genesis 2:7 (creation of humanity) and Ezekiel 37:9 (revival of dry bones). Thomas's confession answers the question of Jesus's identity posed throughout the Gospel. The purpose statement connects to 1 John 5:13 and frames the entire Gospel as testimony. **Tradition comparisons:** The Latin Vulgate shaped Western theology here: Dominus meus et Deus meus — Thomas's confession became the supreme christological declaration in the Gospels and a foundational proof-text for Christ's divinity. The phrase became a common devotional... See the [Vulgate John](/vulgate/john).

John 20:1

Τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται πρωῒ σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ βλέπει τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου.

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

KJV The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase tee mia tōn sabbatōn ('the first of the week') is a Semitic way of saying 'Sunday.' The detail skotias eti ousēs ('while it was still dark') is characteristically Johannine — darkness in this Gospel symbolizes spiritual blindness and separation from Jesus (cf. 1:5, 3:19, 13:30). Mary comes in literal darkness and will move toward the light of recognition. John mentions only Mary Magdalene, unlike the Synoptics which include other women.
John 20:2

τρέχει οὖν καὶ ἔρχεται πρὸς Σίμωνα Πέτρον καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄλλον μαθητὴν ὃν ἐφίλει ὁ Ἰησοῦς, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· ἦραν τὸν κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, καὶ οὐκ οἴδαμεν ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν.

So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."

KJV Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Mary's first interpretation is grave robbery (ēran ton kyrion, 'they have taken the Lord'). The plural 'we do not know' (ouk oidamen) may suggest other women were present (as in the Synoptic accounts) even though John mentions only Mary. The 'other disciple whom Jesus loved' (ton allon mathētēn hon ephilei ho Iēsous) is the Beloved Disciple, here described with phileō ('loved with personal affection') rather than the agapaō used in 13:23 and 19:26.
John 20:3

ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητής, καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον.

So Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.

KJV Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The imperfect ērchonto ('they were going, they were on their way') captures the ongoing action — the narrative builds suspense as the two disciples make their way to the tomb.
John 20:4

ἔτρεχον δὲ οἱ δύο ὁμοῦ· καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς προέδραμεν τάχιον τοῦ Πέτρου καὶ ἦλθεν πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον,

They were both running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

KJV So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The detail of the foot race (proedragen tachion, 'ran ahead faster') has the feel of eyewitness memory — specific, personal, and unnecessary for the theological point. The Beloved Disciple's greater speed and earlier arrival set up the distinction between seeing (v. 5) and believing (v. 8).
John 20:5

καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει κείμενα τὰ ὀθόνια, οὐ μέντοι εἰσῆλθεν.

Stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

KJV And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The verb parakypsas ('stooping, bending over to look') indicates the low entrance of a first-century rock-cut tomb. The Beloved Disciple sees (blepei) the linen cloths (othonia) but hesitates to enter — whether from reverence, fear, or deference to Peter is not stated.
John 20:6

ἔρχεται οὖν καὶ Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον· καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα,

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there,

KJV Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Peter arrives and enters without hesitation — consistent with his impulsive character throughout the Gospels. The verb theōrei ('he observed, he looked carefully at') is a more intensive form of seeing than the Beloved Disciple's blepei in verse 5, suggesting Peter examined the scene closely.
John 20:7

καὶ τὸ σουδάριον, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον.

The napkin, that was concerning his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a location by itself.

KJV And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The soudarion ('face cloth, handkerchief') is a separate piece from the body wrappings. The detail that it was entetyligmenon ('rolled up, folded') and placed choris ('separately, apart') suggests orderliness rather than the haste of grave robbery — a thief would not neatly fold the burial cloths. The arrangement of the grave cloths is evidence that something other than theft has occurred.
John 20:8

τότε οὖν εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς ὁ ἐλθὼν πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ εἶδεν καὶ ἐπίστευσεν·

Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed.

KJV Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Three different Greek verbs for 'seeing' appear in verses 5-8: blepei (v. 5, 'he sees'), theōrei (v. 6, 'he observes'), and eiden (v. 8, 'he saw' — from horaō, implying perception with understanding). The Beloved Disciple's seeing leads immediately to believing — he is the first to believe in the resurrection based on the evidence of the empty tomb and the arrangement of the burial cloths, without yet seeing the risen Jesus.
John 20:9

οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾔδεισαν τὴν γραφὴν ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι.

For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.

KJV For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The narrator explains that the disciples' understanding was still incomplete — they had not yet grasped the scriptural necessity (dei, 'it is necessary') of the resurrection. The specific Scripture (graphēn, singular) is not identified; possibilities include Psalm 16:10 ('you will not abandon my soul to Sheol'), Hosea 6:2 ('on the third day he will raise us up'), or Isaiah 53:10-12. The Beloved Disciple believed based on what he saw, but fuller scriptural understanding would come later.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Psalm 16:10. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Hosea 6:2. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
  4. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Isaiah 53:10-12. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
John 20:10

ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί.

Then the disciples went back to their homes.

KJV Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase pros autous ('to themselves, to their own') indicates they returned to where they were staying. The departure sets the stage for Mary's solitary encounter with the risen Jesus — the disciples leave, but Mary stays.
John 20:11

Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ ἔξω κλαίουσα. ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιεν, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον,

But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb,

KJV But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The imperfect eistēkei ('she was standing') and the present participle klaiousa ('weeping') paint a vivid picture of sustained grief. Mary's sorrow dominates the scene — she is weeping for a dead man, unaware that death has been conquered. The verb parekypsen ('she stooped to look') echoes the Beloved Disciple's action in verse 5.
John 20:12

καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.

Sees two angels in brilliant sitting, the one at the skull, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

KJV And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The two angels (angelous) in white recall the cherubim on the mercy seat (kapporet) of the Ark of the Covenant, positioned at each end (Exodus 25:18-20). If this parallel is intended, the place where Jesus's body lay corresponds to the mercy seat — the place of atonement. The white garments (en leukois) are characteristic of heavenly beings in the New Testament.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 25:18-20. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
John 20:13

καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι ἦραν τὸν κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν.

They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."

KJV And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Mary's response repeats her earlier report (v. 2) but now uses the singular 'I do not know' (ouk oida) and the personal 'my Lord' (ton kyrion mou) — the grief has become deeply personal. She is so consumed by sorrow that the presence of angels does not startle her or redirect her attention.
John 20:14

ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν.

After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.

KJV And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Mary's failure to recognize Jesus (ouk ēdei hoti Iēsous estin) echoes other post-resurrection non-recognition scenes (Luke 24:16, 24:37). This may indicate a transformation in Jesus's risen body, or it may reflect Mary's grief-blurred perception, or both. The dramatic irony is intense — the reader knows who stands before her.
John 20:15

λέγει αὐτῇ Ἰησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστιν λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ.

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She, thinking he was the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him."

KJV Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus's question tina zēteis ('Who are you looking for?') echoes his first question in the Gospel to Andrew and John (1:38, 'What are you seeking?') and his question to the arresting party (18:4, 'Who are you looking for?'). Mary's assumption that Jesus is the kēpouros ('gardener') is natural given the garden setting — but for John's readers, there is a deeper truth: the risen Jesus is the true gardener of the new Eden, the one who tends the garden of new creation.
John 20:16

λέγει αὐτῇ Ἰησοῦς· Μαριάμ. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ Ἑβραϊστί· ραββουνι, ὃ λέγεται διδάσκαλε.

Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" — which means "Teacher."

KJV Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The recognition comes through a single word — her name. This fulfills 10:3 ('he calls his own sheep by name') and 10:27 ('my sheep hear my voice'). The shift from non-recognition to recognition pivots on the personal address. Mary's response 'Rabboni' (rabbouni) is an intensified form of 'Rabbi' — 'my great teacher' or 'my dear teacher.' John translates it as didaskalos ('teacher') for his Greek readers. The scene is one of the most intimate in all four Gospels.
John 20:17

λέγει αὐτῇ Ἰησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου, οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν καὶ θεόν μου καὶ θεὸν ὑμῶν.

Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

KJV Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The present imperative mee mou haptou is better rendered 'stop clinging to me' or 'do not keep holding on to me' rather than 'do not touch me' — Mary has apparently grasped him and Jesus tells her to release him. The reason given — 'I have not yet ascended' (oupō anabebēka) — implies that the old mode of physical relationship must give way to a new mode of spiritual relationship mediated by the Spirit. The phrase 'my brothers' (tous adelphous mou) is the first time Jesus uses this family language for his disciples. The careful distinction 'my Father and your Father, my God and your God' maintains Jesus's unique relationship to the Father while including the disciples in a genuine filial relationship.
John 20:18

ἔρχεται Μαριὰμ ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακα τὸν κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord!" — and she told them what he had said to her.

KJV Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Mary becomes the first witness to the resurrection and the first evangelist — she is sent (poreuou, 'go!') by Jesus to proclaim the news. The verb angellousa ('announcing, reporting') is related to angelos ('messenger') — Mary fulfills an angelic function. Her declaration heōraka ton kyrion ('I have seen the Lord') uses the perfect tense, indicating a sight with lasting impact.
John 20:19

Οὔσης οὖν ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The locked doors (tōn thyrōn kekleismenōn) emphasize both the disciples' fear and the supernatural character of Jesus's appearance — he enters without the doors being opened. The greeting eirēnē hymin ('Peace to you') is the standard Semitic greeting (shalom aleichem) but carries enormous weight in this context. Jesus had promised 'my peace I give to you' (14:27) and 'in me you may have peace' (16:33). Now the risen Jesus delivers on that promise.
John 20:20

καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῖς. ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν κύριον.

After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

KJV 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus shows his wounds as identification — the risen body bears the marks of the cross. The resurrection does not erase the crucifixion but transforms it. The disciples' joy (echarēsan, 'they rejoiced') fulfills Jesus's promise in 16:20-22 that their sorrow would be turned to joy. The verb echarēsan echoes 16:22: 'your hearts will rejoice.'
John 20:21

εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν· καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέν με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς.

Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."

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

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The second eirēnē hymin transitions from greeting to commissioning. The perfect apestalken ('has sent,' denoting the ongoing mission) is paired with the present pempō ('I am sending,' denoting the immediate commission). This echoes 17:18: 'As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.' The disciples' mission is patterned on Jesus's own mission from the Father.
John 20:22

καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησεν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· λάβετε πνεῦμα ἅγιον·

And after he said this, he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

KJV And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

ἐμφυσάω emphysaō
"breathed on" — breathe on, breathe into, blow upon

This rare verb deliberately echoes the creation of Adam (Genesis 2:7 LXX) and the revival of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:9 LXX). The risen Jesus performs a new-creation act, breathing the Spirit of life into his reconstituted people.

Translator Notes

  1. The verb enephysēsen ('he breathed on/into') appears in the Septuagint only in Genesis 2:7 (God 'breathed into' Adam the breath of life) and Ezekiel 37:9 (the Spirit 'breathes' life into the dry bones). The allusion is deliberate — Jesus's act is a new creation, a new breathing of life into his people. Whether this constitutes the full giving of the Spirit (as in Johannine theology) or an anticipation of Pentecost (as in Lukan theology) is debated. In John's narrative, this is the moment the Spirit is given.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 2:7. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Ezekiel 37:9. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
John 20:23

ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφέωνται αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

KJV Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The authority to forgive or retain sins (aphēte, 'release, forgive' and kratēte, 'hold, retain') is given to the community of disciples, not to an individual. The perfect tenses apheōntai ('they stand forgiven') and kekratēntai ('they stand retained') indicate permanent results. This commission extends the forgiveness ministry that Jesus exercised during his earthly life. The precise exercise of this authority — whether sacramental, declarative, or disciplinary — has been debated throughout church history.
John 20:24

Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ' αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν Ἰησοῦς.

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.

KJV But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The name Thomas (Thōmas) is itself Aramaic for 'twin' (te'oma), and Didymos is the Greek equivalent. John consistently identifies Thomas with this double name (11:16, 14:5, 21:2). His absence from the first appearance sets up one of the Gospel's most dramatic scenes.
John 20:25

ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί· ἑωράκαμεν τὸν κύριον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ βάλω μου τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.

So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the mark of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will never believe."

KJV The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Thomas's demand escalates from seeing (idō) to touching (balō ton daktylo mou, 'put my finger') to thrusting his hand into the spear wound (balō mou tēn cheira eis tēn pleuran). The double negative ou mē pisteusō ('I will absolutely not believe') is the strongest form of denial in Greek. Note that Thomas demands the same evidence Jesus had already provided the other disciples (v. 20) — his request is not unreasonable, merely emphatic. The mention of nails (hēlōn) confirms crucifixion by nailing (rather than tying).
John 20:26

Καὶ μεθ' ἡμέρας ὀκτὼ πάλιν ἦσαν ἔσω οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ Θωμᾶς μετ' αὐτῶν. ἔρχεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων, καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ εἶπεν· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν.

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."

KJV And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The phrase meth' hēmeras oktō ('after eight days') by inclusive counting means the following Sunday — establishing the pattern of first-day-of-the-week gatherings that would become Christian worship practice. The repeated detail of locked doors and Jesus's supernatural entry underscores the nature of the resurrection body: physical enough to be seen and touched, yet not bound by physical barriers.
John 20:27

εἶτα λέγει τῷ Θωμᾷ· φέρε τὸν δάκτυλόν σου ὧδε καὶ ἴδε τὰς χεῖράς μου, καὶ φέρε τὴν χεῖρά σου καὶ βάλε εἰς τὴν πλευράν μου, καὶ μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος ἀλλὰ πιστός.

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."

KJV Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. Jesus addresses Thomas's exact demands (vv. 25) — demonstrating both his knowledge of Thomas's words (he was not present when Thomas spoke them) and his willingness to meet Thomas where he is. The imperative mē ginou apistos alla pistos ('stop becoming unbelieving but be believing') uses the present imperative ginou, suggesting a process: Thomas is not yet fixed in unbelief but is moving toward it, and Jesus intervenes. The text does not say whether Thomas actually touched Jesus's wounds — the narrative moves directly to his confession.
John 20:28

ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ὁ θεός μου.

Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

KJV And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

ὁ θεός μου ho theos mou
"my God" — my God, the God who is mine

Thomas does not merely acknowledge Jesus as Lord (kyrios, a title that could be merely respectful) but identifies him as God (theos). This confession echoes Psalm 35:23 ('my God and my Lord') and forms an inclusio with John 1:1. The Gospel's theological argument is complete: the Word who was God (1:1) has been recognized as God by a human witness (20:28).

Translator Notes

  1. Thomas's confession ho kyrios mou kai ho theos mou ('My Lord and my God') is the climactic Christological declaration of the Gospel. The use of the nominative with the article (ho kyrios, ho theos) as vocative gives the confession maximum force. This directly identifies Jesus as theos ('God'), completing the theological arc that began in 1:1 ('the Word was God'). Thomas moves from the most extreme doubt to the most exalted confession in the Gospel — a transformation John presents as the paradigm of faith.

Latin Vulgate (Jerome, 384 CE)

"My Lord and my God"

Dominus meus et Deus meus — Thomas's confession became the supreme christological declaration in the Gospels and a foundational proof-text for Christ's divinity. The phrase became a common devotional exclamation in Western piety, especially at the elevation of the host during Mass.

John 20:29

λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὅτι ἑώρακάς με πεπίστευκας; μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες.

Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

KJV Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The first clause can be read as a statement ('Because you have seen me, you have believed') or a question ('Have you believed because you have seen me?'). Both readings work theologically. The beatitude for those who believe without seeing (makarioi hoi mē idontes kai pisteusantes) reaches beyond Thomas to all future believers — including every reader of the Gospel. This is the bridge between the apostolic eyewitnesses and the ongoing community of faith.
John 20:30

Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃ οὐκ ἔστιν γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ·

Now Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.

KJV And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The word sēmeia ('signs') is John's characteristic term for Jesus's miracles — they are not mere displays of power but signs pointing to deeper realities about Jesus's identity. The acknowledgment that 'many other signs' exist admits the Gospel's selectivity — what is included has been deliberately chosen for the purpose stated in verse 31.
John 20:31

ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

KJV But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

σημεῖον sēmeion
"signs" — sign, miracle, wonder, indicator, proof

John's distinctive word for Jesus's miracles. Unlike the Synoptic dynameis ('acts of power'), sēmeia emphasizes their revelatory function — they point beyond themselves to Jesus's identity and mission.

Translator Notes

  1. This is the Gospel's purpose statement, revealing that everything written has been evangelistic testimony. The verb pisteusēte could be aorist subjunctive ('come to believe' — evangelistic, aimed at unbelievers) or present subjunctive ('continue believing' — pastoral, aimed at the community). The manuscript evidence is divided; both purposes are served by the Gospel. The double object of faith — that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah) and the Son of God — summarizes the Gospel's dual Christological claim: Jesus fulfills Jewish messianic expectation and shares in the divine identity. The result of believing is zōē ('life') — the life that has been the Gospel's theme from the Prologue (1:4: 'In him was life').
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