John 20:1-2

The Resurrection

20:1 Now very early on the first day of the week, ¹  while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene ²  came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. ³  20:2 So she went running ⁴  to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

John 20:11-18

20:11 But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she bent down and looked into the tomb. 20:12 And she saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 20:13 They said ⁵  to her, “Woman, ⁶  why are you weeping?” Mary replied, ⁷  “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put him!” 20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, ⁸  but she did not know that it was Jesus.

20:15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” Because she ⁹  thought he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will take him.” 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She ¹⁰  turned and said to him in Aramaic, ¹¹  “Rabboni” ¹²  (which means Teacher). ¹³  20:17 Jesus replied, ¹⁴  “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them ¹⁵  what ¹⁶  Jesus ¹⁷  had said to her. ¹⁸ 

[20:1]  ¹ sn The first day of the week would be early Sunday morning. The Sabbath (and in this year the Passover) would have lasted from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. Sunday would thus mark the first day of the following week.

[20:1]  ² sn John does not mention that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by any of the other women who had been among Jesus’ followers. The synoptic accounts all mention other women who accompanied her (although Mary Magdalene is always mentioned first). Why John does not mention the other women is not clear, but Mary probably becomes the focus of the author’s attention because it was she who came and found Peter and the beloved disciple and informed them of the empty tomb (20:2). Mary’s use of the plural in v. 2 indicates there were others present, in indirect agreement with the synoptic accounts.

[20:1]  ³ tn Grk “from the tomb.”

[20:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “So she ran and came.”

[20:13]  ⁵ tn The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has not been translated here.

[20:13]  ⁶ sn Woman was a polite form of address (see BDAG 208-9 s.v. γυνή 1), similar to “Madam” or “Ma’am” used in English in different regions. This occurs again in v. 15.

[20:13]  ⁷ tn Grk “She said to them.”

[20:14]  ⁸ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[20:15]  ⁹ tn Grk “that one” (referring to Mary Magdalene).

[20:16]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “That one.”

[20:16]  ¹¹ tn Grk “in Hebrew.”

[20:16]  ¹² sn The Aramaic Rabboni means “my teacher” (a title of respect).

[20:16]  ¹³ sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[20:17]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “Jesus said to her.”

[20:18]  ¹⁵ tn The words “she told them” are repeated from the first part of the same verse to improve clarity.

[20:18]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the things.”

[20:18]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:18]  ¹⁸ tn The first part of Mary’s statement, introduced by ὅτι (Joti), is direct discourse (ἑώρακα τὸν κύριον, Jewraka ton kurion), while the second clause switches to indirect discourse (καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ, kai tauta eipen auth). This has the effect of heightening the emphasis on the first part of the statement.