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The empty tomb

20 On the first day of the week, very early, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark.

She saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. So she ran off, and went to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved.

“They’ve taken the master out of the tomb!” she said. “We don’t know where they’ve put him!”

So Peter and the other disciple set off and went to the tomb. Both of them ran together. The other disciple ran faster than Peter, and got to the tomb first. He stooped down and saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter came up, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the napkin that had been around his head, not lying with the other cloths, but folded up in a place by itself.

Then the other disciple, who had arrived first at the tomb, went into the tomb as well. He saw, and he believed. They did not yet know, you see, that the Bible had said he must rise again from the dead.

10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.

Mary Magdalene and the risen Jesus

11 But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she wept, she stooped down to look into the tomb. 12 There she saw two angels, clothed in white, one at the head and one at the feet of where Jesus’ body had been lying.

13 “Woman,” they said to her, “why are you crying?”

“They’ve taken away my master,” she said, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him!”

14 As she said this she turned around, and saw Jesus standing there. She didn’t know it was Jesus.

15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

She guessed he must be the gardener.

“Sir,” she said, “if you’ve carried him off somewhere, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”

16 “Mary!” said Jesus.

She turned and spoke in Aramaic.

“Rabbouni!” she said (which means “Teacher”).

17 “Don’t cling to me,” said Jesus. “I haven’t yet gone up to the father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I’m going up to my father and your father—to my God and your God.’ ”

18 Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples, “I’ve seen the master!” and that he had said these things to her.

Jesus and the disciples

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Judaeans. Jesus came and stood in the middle of them.

“Peace be with you,” he said.

20 With these words, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the master.

21 “Peace be with you,” Jesus said to them again. “As the father has sent me, so I’m sending you.”

22 With that, he breathed on them.

“Receive the holy spirit,” he said. 23 “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain anyone’s sins, they are retained.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 One of the Twelve, Thomas (also known as Didymus), wasn’t with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples spoke to him.

“We’ve seen the master!” they said.

“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands,” replied Thomas, “and put my finger into the nail-marks, and put my hand into his side—I’m not going to believe!”

26 A week later the disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut. Jesus came and stood in the middle of them.

“Peace be with you!” he said.

27 Then he addressed Thomas.

“Bring your finger here,” he said, “and inspect my hands. Bring your hand here and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless! Just believe!”

28 “My Lord,” replied Thomas, “and my God!”

29 “Is it because you’ve seen me that you believe?” replied Jesus. “God’s blessing on people who don’t see, and yet believe!”

30 Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which aren’t written in this book. 31 But these ones are written so that you may believe that the Messiah, the son of God, is none other than Jesus; and that, with this faith, you may have life in his name.

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)

Footnotes

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