John 20

International Standard Version

Jesus is Raised from the Dead^(A)

20 On the first day of the week,^[a] early in the morning and while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene^[b] went to the tomb and noticed that the stone had been removed from the tomb. ² So she ran off and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus kept loving. She told them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” ³ So Peter and the other disciple took off for the tomb. ⁴ The two of them were running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵ Bending over to look inside, he noticed the linen cloths lying there, but didn’t go in. ⁶ At this point Simon Peter arrived, following him, and went straight into the tomb. He observed that the linen cloths were lying there, ⁷ and that the handkerchief that had been on Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen cloths but was rolled up in a separate place. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside, looked, and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the Scripture that said^[c] that Jesus^[d] had to rise from the dead. ¹⁰ So the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene^(B)

¹¹ Meanwhile, Mary^[e] stood crying outside the tomb. As she cried, she bent over and looked^[f] into the tomb. ¹² She saw two angels in white clothes who were sitting down, one at the head and the other at the foot of the place where Jesus’ body had been lying. ¹³ They asked her, “Lady,^[g] why are you crying?”

She told them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have put him.”

¹⁴ After she had said this, she turned around and noticed Jesus standing there, without realizing that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ Jesus asked her, “Dear lady,^[h] why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

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

¹⁶ Jesus told her, “Mary!”

She turned around and told him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷ Jesus told her, “Don’t hold on to me, because I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I’m ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸ So Mary Magdalene^[i] went and announced to the disciples, “I’ve seen the Lord!” She also told them what he had told her.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples^(C)

¹⁹ It was the evening of the first day of the week,^[j] and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.^[k] Jesus came and stood among them. He told them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side, and when they saw the Lord, the disciples were overjoyed. ²¹ Jesus told them again, “Peace be with you. Just as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and told them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. If you retain people’s sins, they are retained.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Thomas, one of the Twelve (called the Twin),^[l] wasn’t with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples kept telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he told them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my finger into them,^[m] and put my hand into his side, I’ll never believe!”

²⁶ A week later, his disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were shut, Jesus came, stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he told Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Take your hand, and put it into my side. Stop doubting, but believe.”

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

²⁹ Jesus told him, “Is it because you’ve seen me that you have believed? How blessed are those who have never seen me and yet have believed!”

The Purpose of the Book

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his^[n] disciples that are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these have been recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah,^[o] the Son of God, and so that through believing you may have life in his name.