John 20

1 Early [at dawn, before sunrise] on the first day [the Lord’s day, Sunday] of the week, while it was still [yet, ongoing] dark [a lack of light, spiritual darkness], Mary [a follower of Jesus, healed of seven demons] Magdalene [from the town of Magdala] went to the tomb [grave, sepulcher] and saw that the stone [a large rock, a barrier] had been removed [taken away, lifted up] from the entrance [the opening, the doorway]. word study 2 So she came running [with urgent haste] to Simon Peter [the rock, a leader among the apostles] and the other disciple [a follower, a learner], the one whom Jesus [the Savior, the Messiah] loved [with a deep, divine affection]. “They have taken [removed, lifted up] the Lord [the Master, the Sovereign] out of the tomb [the grave, the sepulcher],” she said, “and we do not know [are unaware, have no knowledge] where they have put [laid, placed] Him [the Messiah, the Christ]!” word study 3 Then [therefore, as a consequence] Peter [the rock, a disciple of Jesus] and the other [different, another] disciple [learner, follower] set out [went forth, came out] for the tomb [grave, place of remembrance] [toward the sepulchre, to the cave]. word study 4 The two [running together in unison] were running together, but the other [different, another] disciple outran [to run forward and outstrip] Peter [the rock, a stone] and reached [came to, arrived at] the tomb [a place of remembrance, a grave] first [before all others, in the lead]. word study 5 He bent down [stooping, to peer inside] and looked in [saw, gazed] at the linen cloths [bandages, grave-clothes] lying there [in the tomb, on the ground], but he did not [yet, nonetheless] go in [enter, step inside]. word study 6 Simon Peter [the rock, Jesus’ apostle] arrived just after him [following closely behind]. He entered [went into, stepped inside] the tomb [grave, sepulchre, place of burial] and saw [beheld, gazed upon, perceived] the linen cloths [bands, strips of cloth, grave-clothes] lying [placed, laid, resting] there. word study 7 The cloth [handkerchief, sudarium] that had been around Jesus’ head [the upper part of the body] was rolled up [wrapped together, entetyligmenon], lying separate [apart, without] from the linen cloths [bandages]. word study 8 Then [at that specific point in time, therefore] the other [different, another] disciple [learner, pupil], who had reached [come, arrived at] the tomb [grave, place of remembrance] first [before others, foremost], also [in addition, too] went in [entered, came into]. And he saw [perceived, understood] and believed [trusted, had faith]. word study 9 For [as yet, at that time] they still did not understand [perceive, see spiritually] from the Scripture [holy writings, God’s word] that Jesus had to [it was necessary, must] rise [come back to life, be resurrected] from the dead [the state of being lifeless, spiritually or physically]. word study 10 Then [at that time, therefore] the disciples [learners, followers] returned [went away again, departed] to their [own, personal] homes [houses, places of residence]. word study 11 But Mary [the woman from Magdala, a follower of Jesus] stood outside [without, at a distance from] the tomb [grave, sepulchre, place of remembrance] weeping [crying out loud, mourning]. And as [when, at the same time] she wept [was crying, lamenting], she bent down [stooped, leaned over] to look [gaze, behold] into [toward, within] the tomb [cave, place of interment], word study 12 and she saw [beheld, gazed upon] two angels [messengers of God, heavenly beings] in white [pure, radiant] sitting [seated, resting] where the body [physical form, flesh] of Jesus [God is salvation, the Christ] had lain [been placed, rested], one [a single, unified] at the head [the upper part, the source] and the other [another, a second] at the feet [the lower part, the foundation]. word study 13 “Woman [a female, a wife], why are you weeping [crying out loud, mourning]?” they asked. “Because they have taken [lifted up, removed] my Lord [the Master, God] away [from this place],” she said, “and I do not know [am unaware, have no perception] where [in what location] they have put [laid, placed] Him [the Messiah, Jesus].” word study 14 When she had said [thus spoken, uttered these words] this, she turned around [to the back] and saw [beheld, experienced] Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] standing [in an upright position, physically present] there; but she did not [completely, utterly] recognize [perceive, see with spiritual awareness] that it was [truly, indeed] Jesus. word study 15 “Woman [a female, a wife, or a lady], why are you weeping [crying out loud, mourning]?” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] asked. “Whom [which one, who] are you seeking [looking for, trying to find]?” Thinking He was the gardener [a caretaker of the garden], she said, “Sir [lord, master], if you have carried [lifted, borne] Him off, tell me where you have put [laid, placed] Him, and I will get [take away, lift up] Him.” word study 16 Jesus [the Savior, God’s salvation] said to her, “Mary [the woman from Magdala, a follower of Jesus].” She turned [to face Him, changing direction completely] and said to Him in Hebrew [the language of the Israelites], “Rabboni [my Master, Teacher]!” (which means [signifies, is to say] “Teacher [instructor, guide, one who imparts knowledge]”). word study 17 “Do not [refrain from, stop] cling to Me,” Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] said, “for I have not yet [at this point in time] ascended [gone up, risen] to the Father [the male parent, God]. But go [travel, journey] and tell My brothers [fellow believers, disciples], ‘I am ascending [going up, rising] to My Father [the one who gives life and guidance] and your Father [the one who cares for and provides], to My God [the supreme being, Creator] and your God [the one who is worshiped and revered].’” word study 18 Mary Magdalene [a follower of Jesus from Magdala] went and announced [declared, told] to the disciples, “I have seen [perceived, experienced] the Lord [Master, God]!” And she told them what He had said [spoken, communicated] to her [personally, directly]. word study 19 It was the first day [the Lord’s day] of the week, and that very evening [at nightfall, as the sun set], while the disciples [followers, learners] were together with the doors [entrances, gates] locked [shut, closed] for fear [alarm, terror] of the Jews [Jewish people, Israelites], Jesus [the Savior, God’s salvation] came and stood [appeared, was present] among them. “Peace [harmony, inner calm] be with you [May you have inner peace, May God give you peace]!” He said to them. word study 20 After He had said [spoken, uttered] this, He showed [exhibited, revealed] them His hands [as a sign of power, instrument of healing] and His side [the place of the wound]. The disciples [learners, followers] rejoiced [were glad, felt joy] when they saw [perceived, beheld] the Lord [the Master, God]. word study 21 Again Jesus [the Messiah, God’s salvation] said to them, “Peace [harmony, wholeness, freedom from fear] be with you [resting upon you, in your hearts]. As the Father [the Creator, God Almighty] has sent Me [on a mission, with a purpose], so also I am sending you [as My representatives, with My authority].” word study 22 When He had said [spoken, uttered] this, He breathed [poured out His Spirit, gave life] on them and said, “Receive [take, accept] the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the divine breath]. word study 23 If [on the condition that] you forgive [release, let go of] anyone [a person, someone] his sins [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards], they are forgiven [released, set free]; if [in the case that] you withhold [refuse to give] forgiveness [pardon, mercy] from anyone [a person, someone], it [their sins] is withheld [retained, not forgiven].” word study 24 Now Thomas [called the Twin, Didymus] called Didymus, one [unique, solitary] of the Twelve [apostles, disciples], was not [absent, missing] with [among, in the company of] the disciples [followers, learners] when Jesus [God is salvation, the Messiah] came [appeared, arrived]. word study 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen [perceived, experienced] the Lord [the Master]!” But he replied, “Unless I see [behold, perceive] the nail marks [the imprint] in His hands [the instrument of power], and put my finger [the digit] where the nails [the spike] have been, and put my hand [the instrument of power] into His side [the ribcage], I will never [not at all] believe [trust in].” word study 26 Eight days [a week, a complete cycle] later, His disciples [learners, followers] were once again [as before, anew] inside [within, in the midst of] with the doors [entrances, opportunities] locked [shut, closed], and Thomas [the twin, a skeptic] was with them [in their company, among them]. Jesus [God’s salvation, the Messiah] came [appeared, arrived] and stood [was present, took His place] among them [in their midst, with them] and said, “Peace [harmony, wholeness, God’s favor] be with you [upon you, to you].” word study 27 Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger [with curiosity and doubt] here and look at My hands [the wounds, the scars of love]. Reach out your hand and put it into My side [the place of intimacy, the wound of sacrifice]. Stop doubting [being unbelieving, lacking faith] and believe [have faith, trust in Me].” word study 28 Thomas [the twin, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles] replied, “My [personal, intimate] Lord [master, ruler] and my [own, personal] God [the one true deity]!” word study 29 Jesus [the Son of God, the Savior] said to him, “Because you have seen [perceived, experienced] Me, you have believed [trusted, have faith]; blessed [happy, supremely fortunate] are those who have not seen [have no visual perception] and yet have believed [trusted, have faith].” word study 30 Jesus [the Son of God, the Savior] performed [did, made, brought about] many [numerous, abundant] other [different, additional] signs [miraculous events, wonders] in the presence [before, in the sight] of His disciples [learners, followers], which [these things, these events] are not [not at all, none] written [recorded, documented] in this [the present, this particular] book [scroll, written document]. word study 31 But these [recorded events, written accounts] are written so that you may believe [have faith, trust] that Jesus [the Messiah, God’s anointed] is the Christ [the Anointed One, God’s chosen Savior], the Son [having God’s nature, divine] of God [the supreme Creator, Almighty], and that by believing [trusting, having faith] you may have [possess, experience] life [eternal, spiritual existence] in His [Jesus’, the Messiah’s] name [authority, character]. word study