translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JHN

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “from the tomb.”


text: Grk “So she ran and came.”


text: Grk “went out and were coming to the tomb.”


text: Grk “and came first to the tomb.”


text: Grk “And he saw.” The conjunction καί ( kai , “and”) has not been translated here in keeping with the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.


text: Or “yet know.”


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: The conjunction καί ( kai , “and”) has not been translated here.


text: Grk “She said to them.”


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


text: Grk “that one” (referring to Mary Magdalene).


text: Grk “That one.”


text: Grk “in Hebrew.”


text: Grk “Jesus said to her.”


text: The words “she told them” are repeated from the first part of the same verse to improve clarity.


text: Grk “the things.”


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) is specified in the translation for clarity.


text: 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.


text: Although the words “had gathered together” are omitted in some of the earliest and best mss , they are nevertheless implied, and have thus been included in the translation.


text: Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader. sn The fact that the disciples locked the doors is a perfectly understandable reaction to the events of the past few days. But what is the significance of the inclusion of this statement by the author? It is often taken to mean that Jesus, when he entered the room, passed through the closed doors. This may well be the case, but it may be assuming too much about our knowledge of the mode in which the resurrected body of Jesus exists. The text does not explicitly state how Jesus got through the closed doors. It is possible to assume that the doors opened of their own accord before him, or that he simply appeared in the middle of the room without passing through the doors at all. The point the author makes here is simply that the closed doors were no obstacle at all to the resurrected Jesus.


text: Grk “where they were.”


text: Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι ( Ioudaioi ) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the Jewish leaders.


text: Grk “said to them.”


text: Grk “they are forgiven to them.” The words “to them” are unnecessary in English and somewhat redundant.


text: Grk “but he said to them.”


text: Or “marks.”


text: The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. The use of “it” here as direct object of the verb πιστεύσω ( pisteusw ) specifies exactly what Thomas was refusing to believe: that Jesus had risen from the dead, as reported by his fellow disciples. Otherwise the English reader may be left with the impression Thomas was refusing to “believe in” Jesus, or “believe Jesus to be the Christ.” The dramatic tension in this narrative is heightened when Thomas, on seeing for himself the risen Christ, believes more than just the resurrection (see John 20:28 ).


text: Grk “were inside”; the word “together” is implied.


text: Grk “the doors were shut”; “locked” conveys a more appropriate idea for the modern English reader. sn See the note on the phrase locked the doors in 20:19 .


text: Or “Extend” or “Reach out.” The translation “put” or “reach out” for φέρω ( ferw ) here is given in BDAG 1052 s.v. 4 .


text: Grk “see.” The Greek verb ἴδε ( ide ) is often used like its cognate ἰδού ( idou ) in Hellenistic Greek (which is “used to emphasize the …importance of someth.” [BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 1.b. ε ]).


text: Or “reach out” or “put.”


text: The word “it” is not in the Greek text but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


text: Grk “and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”


text: Grk “answered and said to him.”


text: Grk “are those.”


text: Some translations treat πιστεύσαντες ( pisteusante" ) as a gnomic aorist (timeless statement) and thus equivalent to an English present tense: “and yet believe” (RSV). This may create an effective application of the passage to the modern reader, but the author is probably thinking of those people who had already believed without the benefit of seeing the risen Jesus, on the basis of reports by others or because of circumstantial evidence (see John 20:8 ).


text: Or “did.”


text: puts the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.


text: Grk “are not written.”


text: Grk “these things.”


text: Grk “are written.”


text: puts the aorist’s sigma in brackets, thus representing both readings virtually equally (so TCGNT 220).


text: Or “Jesus is the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”). sn See the note on Christ in 1:20 .