John 20
Open in the reader1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Bitter Tower-Woman went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
2So she came running to Heard Stone and the other apprentice, the one whom He-Who-Is-Saves loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
3Then Stone and the other apprentice set out for the tomb.
4The two were running together, but the other apprentice outran Stone and reached the tomb first.
5He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
6Heard Stone arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.
7The cloth that had been around He-Who-Is-Saves’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.
8Then the other apprentice, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.
9For they still did not understand from the Scripture that He-Who-Is-Saves had to rise from the dead.
10Then the apprentices returned to their homes.
11But Bitter stood outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent down to look into the tomb,
12and she saw two messengers in white sitting where the body of He-Who-Is-Saves had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet.
13“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.”
14When she had said this, she turned around and saw He-Who-Is-Saves standing there. But she did not recognize that it was He-Who-Is-Saves.
15“Woman, why are you weeping?” He-Who-Is-Saves 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.”
16He-Who-Is-Saves said to her, “Bitter.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17“Do not cling to Me,” He-Who-Is-Saves 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.’”
18Bitter Tower-Woman went and announced to the apprentices, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
19It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the apprentices were together with the doors locked for fear of the Praised-Ones, He-Who-Is-Saves came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.
20After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The apprentices rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21Again He-Who-Is-Saves said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Devoted Spirit.
23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.”
24Now Twin called Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when He-Who-Is-Saves came.
25So the other apprentices told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”
26Eight days later, His apprentices were once again inside with the doors locked, and Twin was with them. He-Who-Is-Saves came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
27Then He-Who-Is-Saves said to Twin, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Twin replied, “My Lord and my God!”
29He-Who-Is-Saves said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
30He-Who-Is-Saves performed many other signs in the presence of His apprentices, which are not written in this book.
31But these are written so that you may believe that He-Who-Is-Saves is the The-Anointed-One, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.