John 20 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

The Empty Tomb

The Risen Christ

(Matt. 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12 )

Jhn 20:1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

Jhn 20:2

Jhn 20:2Then 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 do not know where they have laid Him.”

Jhn 20:3

Jhn 20:3Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.

Jhn 20:4

Jhn 20:4So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

Jhn 20:5

Jhn 20:5And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

Jhn 20:6

Jhn 20:6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,

Jhn 20:7

Jhn 20:7and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

Jhn 20:8

Jhn 20:8Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

Jhn 20:9

Jhn 20:9For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

Jhn 20:10

Jhn 20:10Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

Jhn 20:11

Jhn 20:11But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

Jhn 20:12

Jhn 20:12And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Jhn 20:13

Jhn 20:13Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Jhn 20:14

Jhn 20:14Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

Jhn 20:15

Jhn 20:15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” 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.”

Jhn 20:16

Jhn 20:16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him,[fn] “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jhn 20:17

Jhn 20:17Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

Jhn 20:18

Jhn 20:18Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord,[fn] and that He had spoken these things to her.

The Apostles Commissioned

(Luke 24:36–43; 1 Cor. 15:5 )

Jhn 20:19

Jhn 20:19Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled,[fn] for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Jhn 20:20

Jhn 20:20When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Jhn 20:21

Jhn 20:21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Jhn 20:22

Jhn 20:22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Jhn 20:23

Jhn 20:23“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Seeing and Believing

Jhn 20:24

Jhn 20:24Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

Jhn 20:25

Jhn 20:25The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Jhn 20:26

Jhn 20:26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

Jhn 20:27

Jhn 20:27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

Jhn 20:28

Jhn 20:28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

Jhn 20:29

Jhn 20:29Jesus said to him, “Thomas,[fn] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That You May Believe

Jhn 20:30

Jhn 20:30And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;

Jhn 20:31

Jhn 20:31but 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.

See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NKJV Footnotes

(20:16)

NU-Text adds in Hebrew.

(20:18)

NU-Text reads disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” . . .

(20:19)

NU-Text omits assembled.

(20:29)

NU-Text and M-Text omit Thomas.

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For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.