Gospel of John
John 20
He Is Risen
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Before you Read
John 20 opens at the empty tomb, where Mary Magdalene discovers that the stone has been moved away. The chapter follows the disciples as they begin to understand that Jesus has risen, and it includes His appearances to Mary, the gathered disciples, and later Thomas. As you read, notice how fear, confusion, doubt, and grief gradually give way to recognition, peace, and faith.
Read John 20
The Resurrection
(Matthew 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12)
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb.
4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
5 He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6 Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.
7 The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.
9 For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
(Mark 16:9–11)
10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb,
12 and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
13 “Woman, why are you weeping?” they asked. “Because they have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I do not know where they have put Him.”
14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
15 “Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” ( which means “Teacher” ).
17 “Do not cling to Me,” Jesus said, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go and tell My brothers, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
(Luke 24:36–49; 1 John 1:1–4)
19 It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
20 After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
22 When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas called Didymus, 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 replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27 Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The Purpose of John’s Book
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book.
31 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.
Footnotes:
20:1 Literally Now on the first of the Sabbaths, early,
20:7 Greek soudarion
20:16 Or in Aramaic
20:24 Didymus means the twin.
20:31 Or may continue to believe
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A Word Worth Knowing
Believe — πιστεύω (Pisteuō)
The Greek word pisteuō means “to believe,” “trust,” or “place confidence in.” In John 20, this word becomes especially important as the disciples encounter the risen Jesus and begin to understand what has happened.
Thomas struggles to believe the testimony of the others until he sees Jesus for himself. Jesus meets him in that doubt, then points beyond Thomas to those who will believe without seeing Him physically.
Throughout John 20, belief is not presented as pretending to have no questions. It is a response to who Jesus is and to the truth of His resurrection.
So when John speaks about believing in this chapter, he is inviting the reader to do more than agree with a fact. He is calling us to place our trust in Jesus as the risen Son of God and receive life in His name.
Look for This as You Read
The discovery of the empty tomb.
Mary recognizing the risen Jesus.
Jesus appearing to His disciples.
Thomas moving from doubt to belief.
Why John says he wrote this Gospel.
Take This With You
Reflection:
What does the resurrection of Jesus in this chapter teach you about hope, faith, and what it means to believe even when you cannot yet see the whole picture?
Step Into Their World
A woman’s testimony was an unexpected way to announce the resurrection
In John 20, Mary Magdalene comes to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning and discovers that the stone has been moved. After Peter and the other disciple leave, Mary remains behind grieving—and she becomes the first person in John’s Gospel to encounter the risen Jesus.
That detail would have stood out in the first-century world. Women could certainly give testimony, but their public witness did not always carry the same social weight or authority as that of men.
Yet Jesus entrusts Mary with an extraordinary message.
He tells her, “Go to My brothers and tell them…” Mary then returns to the disciples and announces, “I have seen the Lord!”
John could have told the resurrection story differently. Instead, he places a grieving woman at the center of its first announcement.
That background helps us see something beautiful in the scene. Jesus does not choose the person his culture might have considered the most influential messenger. He meets Mary personally in her grief, calls her by name, and then sends her to tell the others what she has seen.
The first resurrection announcement in John begins with someone simply saying: I have seen Him.
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) printed 2016, 2020, 2022, 2025 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, unfoldingWord, Bible Aquifer, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee. This text of God's Word has been dedicated to the public domain. Free downloads and unlimited usage available. See also the Berean Literal Bible and Berean Interlinear Bible.