John 20 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
BBE Bible in Basic English
WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)
PT1904 Patriarchal Text 1904 (accented, eBible edition)
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the place and saw that the stone had been taken away from it.
1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
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.
2 Then she went running to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple who was loved by Jesus, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the place of the dead and we have no knowledge where they have put him.
2 Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”
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.
3 So Peter and the other disciple went out to the place of the dead.
3 Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.
3 ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον.
4 They went running together, and the other disciple got in front of Peter and came first to the hole in the rock;
4 They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
4 ἔτρεχον δὲ οἱ δύο ὁμοῦ· καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς προέδραμε τάχιον τοῦ Πέτρου καὶ ἦλθε πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον,
5 And looking in, he saw the linen bands on the earth; but he did not go in,
5 Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in.
5 καὶ παρακύψας βλέπει κείμενα τὰ ὀθόνια, οὐ μέντοι εἰσῆλθεν.
6 Then Simon Peter came after him and went into the hole in the rock; and he saw the linen bands on the earth,
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,
6 ἔρχεται οὖν Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα,
7 And the cloth, which had been round his head, not with the linen bands but rolled up in a place by itself.
7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
7 καὶ τὸ σουδάριον, ὃ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ, οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον.
8 Then the other disciple who came there first went in; and he saw and belief came to him.
8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.
8 τότε οὖν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς ὁ ἐλθὼν πρῶτος εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ εἶδε καὶ ἐπίστευσεν·
9 For at that time they had no knowledge that the Writings said that he would have to come again from the dead.
9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
9 οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾔδεισαν τὴν γραφὴν ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι.
10 So then the disciples went away again to their houses.
10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
10 ἀπῆλθον οὖν πάλιν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί.
11 But Mary was still there outside the hole in the rock, weeping; and while she was weeping and looking into the hole,
11 But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,
11 Μαρία δὲ εἱστήκει πρὸς τῷ μνημείῳ κλαίουσα ἔξω.
12 She saw two angels in white seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.
12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
12 ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.
13 They said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She said to them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I have no knowledge where they have put him.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.”
13 καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὅτι ἦραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν.
14 And then looking round, she saw Jesus there, but had no idea that it was Jesus.
14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.
14 καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστι.
15 Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? who are you looking for? She, taking him for the gardener, said to him, Sir, if you have taken him away from here, say where you have put him and I will take him away.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” 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.”
15 λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρός ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ ἔθηκας αὐτόν, κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ.
16 Jesus said to her, Mary! Turning, she said to him in Hebrew, Rabboni! (which is to say, Master).
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”
16 λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Μαρία. στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· ῥαββουνί, ὃ λέγεται, διδάσκαλε.
17 Jesus said to her, Do not put your hand on me, for I have not gone up to the Father: but go to my brothers and say to them, I go up to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.
17 Jesus said to her, “Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
17 λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· μή μου ἅπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου· πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν.
18 Mary Magdalene went with the news to the disciples, and said she had seen the Lord and that he had said these things to her.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
18 ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.
19 At evening on that day, the first day of the week, when, for fear of the Jews, the doors were shut where the disciples were, Jesus came among them and said to them, May peace be with you!
19 When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
19 Οὔσης οὖν ὀψίας τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων, καὶ τῶν θυρῶν κεκλεισμένων ὅπου ἦσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ συνηγμένοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ μέσον, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν.
20 And when he had said this, he let them see his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.
20 καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῖρας καὶ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ. ἐχάρησαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ ἰδόντες τὸν Κύριον.
21 And Jesus said to them again, May peace be with you! As the Father sent me, even so I now send you.
21 Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”
21 εἶπεν οὖν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν· εἰρήνη ὑμῖν. καθὼς ἀπέσταλκέ με ὁ πατήρ, κἀγὼ πέμπω ὑμᾶς.
22 And when he had said this, breathing on them, he said to them, Let the Holy Spirit come on you:
22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!
22 καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἐνεφύσησε καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· λάβετε Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον·
23 Any to whom you give forgiveness, will be made free from their sins; and any from whom you keep back forgiveness, will still be in their sins.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”
23 ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς· ἄν τινων κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται.
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, named Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.
24 Θωμᾶς δὲ εἷς ἐκ τῶν δώδεκα, ὁ λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, οὐκ ἦν μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ὅτε ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς.
25 So the other disciples said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, If I do not see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and if I do not put my hand into his side, I will never have belief.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
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 τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.
26 And after eight days, his disciples were again in the house and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were shut, Jesus came, and taking his place in the middle of them, he said, May peace be with you!
26 After eight days, again his disciples were inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.”
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.
27 Then he said to Thomas, Put out your finger, and see my hands; and put your hand here into my side: and be no longer in doubt but have belief.
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
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.
28 And Thomas said in answer, My Lord and my God!
28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
28 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου.
29 Jesus said to him, Because you have seen me you have belief: a blessing will be on those who have belief though they have not seen me!
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
29 λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· ὅτι ἑώρακάς με, πεπίστευκας· μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἰδόντες καὶ πιστεύσαντες.
30 A number of other signs Jesus did before his disciples which are not recorded in this book:
30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;
30 Πολλὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα ἐποίησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃ οὐκ ἔστι γεγραμμένα ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τούτῳ·
31 But these are recorded, so that you may have faith that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and so that, having this faith you may have life in his name.
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
31 ταῦτα δὲ γέγραπται ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἵνα πιστεύοντες ζωὴν ἔχητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Thomas
One of the Twelve, called Didymus, who said 'Let us also go, so that we may die with Him', was absent when Jesus first appeared, and was among those who fished with the disciples…
Cited in the guide: Matthew 10:3; John 11:16; John 20:24
Cross references (31)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Mark 16:9; Matthew 27:60; Revelation 1:10; John 19:25; Luke 24:1–10
- 2 John 13:23; John 20:13; John 21:24; John 19:26; John 21:20
- 3 Luke 24:12
- 4 2 Samuel 18:23; 1 Corinthians 9:24
- 5 John 19:40; John 11:44; John 20:11
- 6 Luke 22:31–32; John 21:15–17; John 21:7; Matthew 16:15–16; John 18:17
- 7 John 11:44
- 8 John 20:25; John 20:4; John 1:50; John 20:29
- 9 Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 53:10–12; Isaiah 26:19; Luke 24:44–46
- 10 John 16:32; John 7:53
- 11 John 20:5
- 12 Luke 24:3–7; Revelation 3:4; Mark 16:5–6; Revelation 7:14; Daniel 7:9
- 13 John 20:15; John 16:20–22; John 14:27–28; Psalm 43:3–5; John 2:4
- 14 Luke 24:16; John 21:4; Mark 16:9; Song of Songs 3:3–4; Matthew 28:9
- 15 John 18:7; John 20:13; John 1:38; Song of Songs 3:2; 1 Samuel 1:16
- 16 John 10:3; John 1:38; Exodus 3:4; 1 Samuel 3:10; John 1:49
- 17 John 16:28; Ephesians 4:8–10; 1 Peter 1:3; Galatians 4:6–7; John 17:11
- 18 Luke 24:10; Matthew 28:10; Mark 16:10–13; Luke 24:22–23; John 20:1
- 19 John 20:26; John 14:27; Luke 24:36–49; John 20:21; 2 Thessalonians 3:16
- 20 John 16:22; 1 John 1:1; Luke 24:39–41; John 20:27; John 16:20
- 21 John 17:18–19; Matthew 28:18–20; John 13:20; John 3:17; Mark 16:15–18
- 22 Job 33:4; Genesis 2:7; John 7:39; Acts 2:38; Acts 19:2
- 23 Matthew 18:18; Matthew 16:19; Acts 13:38–39; Mark 2:5–10; Acts 10:43
- 24 John 11:16; Hebrews 10:25; John 6:66–67; John 14:5; John 21:2
- 25 John 6:30; Mark 16:11; Hebrews 3:18–4:2; Psalm 78:32; Hebrews 3:12
- 26 John 20:19; Isaiah 54:10; Matthew 17:1; Isaiah 26:12; John 14:27
- 27 John 20:25; Psalm 103:13–14; 1 John 1:1–2; John 20:20; 1 Timothy 1:14–16
- 28 John 1:1; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 7:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 14:33
- 29 1 Peter 1:8; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:27; Luke 1:45
- 30 John 21:25; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:15–17; 1 John 5:13; 1 Corinthians 10:11
- 31 Acts 10:43; John 3:15–16; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 4:15; John 3:36
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Mary Magdalene had brought the news to His disciples, Peter and John, that the Lord was taken away from the sepulchre; and they, when they came thither, found only the linen clothes wherewith the body had been shrouded; and what else could they believe but what she had told them, and what she had herself also believed?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)
Full of feeling somehow is the female sex, and more inclined to pity. I say this, lest thou shouldest wonder how it could be that Mary wept bitterly at the tomb, while Peter was in no way so affected. For, "The disciples," it saith, "went away unto their own home"; but she stood shedding tears.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 14 (1889)
… and that this same suffered and rose again, as John, the disciple of the Lord, verifies, saying: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have eternal life in His name," --foreseeing these blasphemous systems which divide the Lord, as far as lies in their power, …
They are encouraged in this supposition by the fact that the Lord Jesus after His resurrection breathed on His disciples, and said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit." From this they suppose that the same thing was effected in either case, as if the evangelist had gone on to say, And they became living souls.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
But lest any one from simplicity or perverse ingenuity should suppose that Christ is but equal in honour to righteous men, from His saying, I ascend to My Father, and your Father, it is well to make this distinction beforehand, that the name of the Father is one, but the power of His operation manifold.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)