John 19:31-20

New International Version

³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation,^(A) and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses^(B) during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.^{(C) 33} But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced^(D) Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.^{(E) 35} The man who saw it^(F) has given testimony, and his testimony is true.^(G) He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶ These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:^(H) “Not one of his bones will be broken,”^{[a](I) 37} and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”^[b](J)

The Burial of Jesus^(K)

³⁸ Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders.^(L) With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. ³⁹ He was accompanied by Nicodemus,^(M) the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.^{[c] 40} Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen.^(N) This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.^{(O) 41} At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. ⁴² Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation^(P) and since the tomb was nearby,^(Q) they laid Jesus there.

The Empty Tomb^(R)

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene^(S) went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.^{(T) 2} So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved,^(U) and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”^(V)

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.^{(W) 4} Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in^(X) at the strips of linen^(Y) lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.^(Z) The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first,^(AA) also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture^(AB) that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)^{(AC) 10} Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb^{(AD) 12} and saw two angels in white,^(AE) seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”^(AF)

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”^{(AG) 14} At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,^(AH) but she did not realize that it was Jesus.^(AI)

¹⁵ He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?^(AJ) Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,^(AK) “Rabboni!”^(AL) (which means “Teacher”).

¹⁷ Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers^(AM) and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father^(AN) and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene^(AO) went to the disciples^(AP) with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,^(AQ) Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace^(AR) be with you!”^{(AS) 20} After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.^(AT) The disciples were overjoyed^(AU) when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!^(AV) As the Father has sent me,^(AW) I am sending you.”^{(AX) 22} And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.^{(AY) 23} If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”^(AZ)

Jesus Appears to Thomas

²⁴ Now Thomas^(BA) (also known as Didymus^[d]), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side,^(BB) I will not believe.”^(BC)

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace^(BD) be with you!”^{(BE) 27} Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”^(BF)

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed;^(BG) blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”^(BH)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs^(BI) in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.^{(BJ) 31} But these are written that you may believe^[e](BK) that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God,^(BL) and that by believing you may have life in his name.^(BM)