Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early on the Sabbath, while it was still dark. She saw the stone had been removed from the tomb.

She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple that Jesus loved.

“They’ve taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him,” Mary said.

Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb. The other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloth lying there but didn’t go into the tomb.

Simon Peter arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the cloth lying there and the cloth that had been on his head. It wasn’t with the other cloth but folded separately in its own place. The other disciple who had arrived at the tomb first entered the tomb, saw and believed. This was because they didn’t already know it said in the scriptures that he needed to rise from the dead.

The disciples returned to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb and cried. Still crying, she bent down to look into the tomb and saw two white angels. One was sitting at the head and the other at the feet of where Jesus’s body had been.

“Why are you crying, ma’am?” They asked.

“They’ve taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they’ve put him,” she replied.

She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t know it was him.

“Why are you crying, ma’am?” Jesus asked. “Who are you looking for?”

Mary thought he was the gardener. “Sir, if you’ve taken him away, tell me where you’ve put him and I’ll take him.”

“Mary,” Jesus said.

She turned back to him and said, “Teacher!”

“Don’t hold me, because I haven’t gone up to the Father yet,” Jesus said. “Go tell my brothers that I am going up to my Father who is your Father, and my God who is your God.”

Mary Magdalene found the disciples.

“I’ve seen the Lord!” she said and explained what he had said to her.

In the evening on that first day of the week, the disciples had their doors locked, afraid of the Jews.

Jesus arrived and stood amongst them.

“Peace to you,” he said.

He showed them his hands and his side. The disciples celebrated, seeing the Lord.

“Peace to you,” Jesus repeated. “I’m sending you just like the Father has sent me.”

He breathed on them and said, “Take the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s guilt, they are forgiven. If you keep anyone’s guilt, they are not forgiven.”

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas, also known as Didymus, was not there when Jesus arrived.

The other disciples said to him, “We’ve seen the Lord!”
Thomas replied, “Unless I see the nail holes in his hands and put my finger through them and put my hand into his side, I don’t believe it.”

Eight days later, the disciples, including Thomas, were inside. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus arrived and stood amongst them and said, “Peace to you.”

He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe it!”

“My Lord and my God,” Thomas replied.

“Do you believe now that you see me?” Jesus asked. “Those who have not seen me and still believe are fortunate.”

Jesus performed other miracles, which aren’t written in this book, while he was with the disciples, but these miracles have been written so that you will believe that Jesus is Christ, God’s son. By believing in him, you have life in him.

John Chapter 20 Summary

Mary Magdalene goes to Jesus’s tomb in the morning and finds the stone rolled away. She tells Simon Peter and the beloved disciple who both come to the empty tomb, and return home confused. Mary stays and cries. She sees two angels and then Jesus, but she doesn’t recognise him at first. When Jesus calls her by name, she realises who he is. That evening, Jesus appears to his disciples in a locked room. He shows them his wounds and gives them the Holy Spirit, telling them to forgive others. Thomas wasn’t there and didn’t believe the other disciples. Eight days later, Jesus appears again and invites Thomas to touch his wounds. Thomas believes and calls Jesus “My Lord and my God”.

John Chapter 20 Bible Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Mary Magdalene’s reaction to the empty tomb show us how to respond in sadness and confusion as Christians?
Answer: Mary’s sadness didn’t stop her from looking for Jesus. Even in confusion, she stayed near his tomb and cried. As Christians, we can learn to stay close to God, even when we don’t understand what’s happening. Jesus met her in that place of pain.

2. What does Jesus’s appearance to the disciples in a locked room teach us about fear and faith?
Answer: The disciples were hiding in fear, but Jesus came to them with peace and comfort. This shows that Christ meets us in our fear and brings peace. Even when we feel closed off, he can reach us.

3. Why is it important that Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the disciples after coming back to life?
Answer: Jesus gave the Holy Spirit as a gift to prepare the disciples for their mission. For Christians today, the Spirit gives us strength, guidance, and the ability to live out our faith and forgive others as Christ has forgiven us.

4. What can we learn from Thomas’s doubts about Jesus’s resurrection?
Answer: Thomas doubted, but Jesus didn’t reject him—instead, he met Thomas where he was and gave him what he needed to believe. This teaches us that it’s okay to have questions. God welcomes honesty and wants us to come to true belief through trust.

5. How does believing in Jesus give us life, as the chapter concludes?
Answer: Believing in Jesus connects us to God, brings forgiveness, and offers life that doesn’t end. It means living with hope, peace, and a purpose. Faith in Jesus isn’t just for the next life, but also changes how we live today.

John Chapter 20 Explained

John Chapter 20 opens early in the morning on the first day of the week with Mary Magdalene going to the tomb. Her commitment and love are clear—she was the first to arrive and the last to leave. When she found the stone rolled away and Jesus’s body missing, she was heartbroken and confused. Her reaction is deeply human—sadness, confusion, and seeking answers.

The turning point comes when Jesus appears to Mary. At first, she doesn’t recognise him. But when he says her name, she knows immediately it’s him. This shows the personal nature of Jesus’s relationship with his followers. He knows us by name and calls us personally. He sends her to tell the others—a powerful reminder that women were the first witnesses of the resurrection.

Later that same day, Jesus appears to the disciples, even though the doors were locked. This shows his risen body is no longer limited by physical limits. He speaks peace over them—a peace they desperately needed. Then he gives them the Holy Spirit and commands them to continue his mission. This is a moment of purpose. The Spirit is key to their new life and mission.

The story of Thomas follows, who wanted to see proof that Jesus was alive. Jesus met him in his doubt and invited him to believe. Thomas saying, “My Lord and my God,” is one of the clearest confessions of Jesus’s power in the New Testament. Jesus then blesses those who believe without seeing—a message for all future believers.

The chapter ends with a reminder of the purpose of John’s Gospel: to help people believe in Jesus and find life in him. This life is more than just survival—it’s a new way of living, full of meaning, peace, and connection to God.

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Continue exploring John 20

If you’d like to read John 20 in other translations, here are a few BibleHub links:
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, try John 20 in the English Standard Version.
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, try John 20 in the New International Version.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, try John 20 in the Contemporary English Version.

If you prefer to read the Bible in a hard-copy format, here are cheaper versions from Amazon:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
For a translation that aims to be word-for-word, ESV Economy Bible
For a translation that aims to be more thought-for-thought, NIV, Economy Bible, Paperback: Accurate. Readable. Clear.
For a translation that aims to communicate the overall meaning, Holy Bible: Contemporary English Version

If you’d like to explore John in more depth, here are two commentaries I would recommend:
[These are Amazon affiliate links which support the production of this blog]
Easy to access commentaries that include life applications:
The NIV Application Commentary: John
For a commentary that goes into more depth:
The Gospel of John (The New International Commentary on the New Testament)