BOOK 43 OF 66 · GOSPELS · KING JAMES BIBLE

John 20

John book home•Chapter 20 of 21•31 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

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John 20 Overview

Mary Magdalene finds the tomb open, Peter and the beloved disciple inspect the grave clothes, and the risen Jesus appears first to Mary and then to the disciples. He commissions them and speaks of the Holy Ghost. Thomas, absent at first, later sees Jesus and confesses, ‘My Lord and my God.’ John then states why he wrote: that readers may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and believing may have life through His name.

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Before you read John 20

Coming from

John 19 ended with Jesus truly dead and buried. John 20 answers death with the empty tomb and bodily resurrection.

In this chapter

The chapter moves from confusion to recognition, from fear to mission, and from doubt to one of the Gospel’s strongest confessions of Jesus’ deity.

Leads into

John 21 provides an epilogue: Jesus appears by the Sea of Tiberias, provides a miraculous catch, restores Peter publicly, and clarifies Peter’s calling without encouraging speculation about the beloved disciple.

Key understandingExplore deeper

John 20:30–31 is the inspired purpose statement of the Gospel. The selected signs are written so readers will believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and by believing have life through His name. This purpose controls how salvation language throughout John should be read.

Thomas addresses the risen Jesus as ‘My Lord and my God.’ Jesus accepts the confession rather than correcting it, providing a climactic confirmation of the deity announced in John 1:1.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

The resurrection is bodily and historical

The tomb is empty, grave clothes remain, and Jesus appears recognizably to multiple disciples.

Faith can rest on apostolic testimony without physical sight

Jesus blesses those who have not seen and yet have believed.

Jesus is explicitly confessed as God

Thomas’s confession brings the Gospel’s high Christology to a climax.

The Gospel’s evangelistic condition is belief

John states his purpose in unmistakable terms: believing brings life through Jesus’ name.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Psalm 16:10

The resurrection fulfills the broader biblical hope that God’s Holy One would not remain in corruption.

Luke 24:36–43

Luke likewise emphasizes the bodily reality of the risen Jesus before the disciples.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8

Paul summarizes multiple resurrection appearances as foundational gospel testimony.

1 John 5:10–13

John later writes so believers may know they have eternal life, closely echoing the Gospel’s stated purpose.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not add works, baptism, prayer, or perseverance to John’s purpose statement

The stated response is believing in Jesus as Christ and Son of God.

Do not treat Thomas as an unbeliever who establishes a rule that everyone must see miracles

Jesus specifically blesses those who believe without seeing.

Do not make the breathing of the Spirit in verse 22 cancel Pentecost

Interpretations differ on the relation between this act and Acts 2; the texts should be allowed their distinct narrative roles.

Do not reduce resurrection faith to inward inspiration

John insists on an empty tomb and physical appearances.

Read John 20 watching for…

The evidence at the empty tomb.

How Mary recognizes Jesus.

Jesus’ words of peace and mission to the disciples.

Thomas’s demand, encounter, and confession.

The blessing on those who believe without seeing.

John’s explicit purpose statement in verses 30–31.

Chapter outline5 sections

1-10Mary Magdalene finds the stone removed, and Peter and John see the empty tomb 11-18The risen Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene 19-23Jesus appears to the disciples and sends them 24-29Thomas sees Jesus and confesses him as Lord and God 30-31John states that his signs are written so readers may believe and have life

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.