JHN 20:10-18

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

10The disciples, therefore, went away again to their own homes. [20:11] But Mary had been standing at the tomb outside, weeping aloud. As she wept, she stooped to peer into the tomb, [20:12] and she saw two angels in white sitting — one at the head and one at the feet — where the body of Jesus had been lying. [20:13] And they said to her: 'Woman, why are you weeping aloud?' She said to them: 'They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.' [20:14] Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there — and did not know that it was Jesus. [20:15] Jesus said to her: 'Woman, why are you weeping aloud? Whom are you seeking?' She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him: 'Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.' [20:16] Jesus said to her: 'Mary.' She turned and said to him in Hebrew: 'Rabbouni' — which means My Great Teacher. [20:17] Jesus said to her: 'Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.' [20:18] Mary Magdalene came announcing to the disciples: 'I have seen the Lord' — and that he had said these things to her.

In the world it was spoken into

In the first-century Mediterranean world, mourning practices were highly ritualized and public, especially for women. Mary Magdalene’s weeping at the tomb reflects the customary loud lamentation expected in Jewish grief rituals, signaling deep personal and communal sorrow. Her stooping to peer into the tomb aligns with the Jewish custom of visiting burial sites to honor the dead, often accompanied by acts of devotion. The presence of two angels in white evokes Jewish apocalyptic imagery, where angels frequently appear as messengers or guardians of divine mysteries. Mary’s address to Jesus as 'Rabbouni' underscores her recognition of him as her revered teacher, a title reflecting both respect and intimacy. Jesus’ command, 'Do not cling to me' , likely reflects the transitional nature of his resurrection appearance, emphasizing his new, glorified state rather than a prohibition of physical touch. For Mary and the early Christian community, this encounter affirmed Jesus’ resurrection while situating it within Jewish expectations of divine intervention and messianic fulfillment.

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How other translations render this

JHN 20:10

KJV: Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
BSB: Then the disciples returned to their homes.
Koinōnos: The disciples, therefore, went away again to their own homes.

JHN 20:11

KJV: But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
BSB: But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb,
Koinōnos: But Mary had been standing at the tomb outside, weeping aloud. As she wept, she stooped to peer into the tomb,

JHN 20:12

KJV: 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.
BSB: 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.
Koinōnos: and she saw two angels in white sitting — one at the head and one at the feet — where the body of Jesus had been lying.

JHN 20:13

KJV: 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.
BSB: “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.”
Koinōnos: And they said to her: 'Woman, why are you weeping aloud?' She said to them: 'They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.

JHN 20:14

KJV: And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
BSB: When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there. But she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
Koinōnos: Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there — and did not know that it was Jesus.

JHN 20:15

KJV: 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.
BSB: “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.”
Koinōnos: Jesus said to her: 'Woman, why are you weeping aloud? Whom are you seeking?' She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him: 'Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.

JHN 20:16

KJV: Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
BSB: Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Koinōnos: Jesus said to her: 'Mary.' She turned and said to him in Hebrew: 'Rabbouni' — which means My Great Teacher.

JHN 20:17

KJV: 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.
BSB: “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.’”
Koinōnos: Jesus said to her: 'Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.

JHN 20:18

KJV: Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
BSB: Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
Koinōnos: Mary Magdalene came announcing to the disciples: 'I have seen the Lord' — and that he had said these things to her.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

JHN 20:11

weeping.:The word translated 'weeping' here describes a loud, audible expression of grief, often accompanied by wailing or lamentation, not merely shedding tears silently.
she stooped down:The phrase 'she stooped down' implies a deliberate action of bending over to peer into something, suggesting a focused and intentional gaze rather than a casual glance.

JHN 20:16

in Hebrew;:The term 'Rabboni' is a more emphatic and reverential form of 'Rabbi,' signifying 'my great master' or 'my teacher,' indicating a deep respect and personal devotion.

JHN 20:17

Me:The word translated 'touch Me' often implies a clinging or holding on, suggesting a desire to detain or embrace, rather than a fleeting or casual physical contact.