John 11 · Verse 20

John 11:20

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
John 11:20, King James Version

John 11:20 in other translations

BSBSo when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him; but Mary stayed at home.
WEBThen when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house.
ASVMartha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house.
YLTMartha, therefore, when she heard that Jesus doth come, met him, and Mary kept sitting in the house.
DARBYMartha then, when she heard Jesus is coming, went to meet him; but Mary sat in the house.
BBEWhen Martha had the news that Jesus was on the way, she went out to him, but Mary did not go from the house.
WebsterThen Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat in the house.

What does John 11:20 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 11:20-22
20-22. Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him--true to the energy and activity of her character, as seen in Lu 10:38-42. (See on Lu 10:38-42). but Mary sat ... in the house--equally true to her placid character. These undesigned touches not only charmingly illustrate the minute historic fidelity of both narratives, but their inner harmony.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 20. Then Martha, &c. To Martha was intrusted the management of the affairs of the family, Lk 10:40. It is probable that she first heard of his coming, and, without waiting to inform her sister, went immediately out to meet him. See Jn 11:28.

Sat still in the house. The word still is not in the original. It means that she remained sitting in the house. The common posture of grief among the Jews was that of sitting, Job 2:8, Eze 8:14. Often this grief was so excessive as to fix the person in astonishment, and render him immovable, or prevent his being affected by any external objects. It is possible that the evangelist meant to intimate this of Mary's grief. Comp. Ezr 9:3,4, Neh 1:4, Is 47:1.

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 20 Martha - went and met him - Some suppose she was the eldest of the two sisters - she seems to have had the management of the house. See Luk 10:40. Mary sat still in the house - It is likely that by this circumstance the evangelist intended to convey the idea of her sorrow and distress; because anciently afflicted persons were accustomed to put themselves in this posture, as expressive of their distress; their grief having rendered them as it were immovable. See Ezr 9:3, Ezr 9:4; Neh 1:4; Psa 137:1; Isa 47:1; Luk 1:79; and Mat 27:61.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 11:17-32

Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him. When Martha went to meet Jesus, Mary sat still in the house; this temper…

Read the full comment on John 11:17-32 →

John 11:20 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἩHē<the>G3588
οὖνounThereforeG3767
Μάρθα,MarthaMartha,G3136
ὡςhōswhenG5613
ἤκουσενēkousenshe heardG191
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἔρχεται,erchetaiis coming,G2064
ὑπήντησενhupēntēsenmetG5221
αὐτῷ·autōwith Him;G846
ΜαριὰμMariamMaryG3137
δὲdehoweverG1161
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
οἴκῳoikōhouseG3624
ἐκαθέζετο.ekathezetowas sitting.G2516

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for John 11:20

  • 1 Thessalonians 4:17

    Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

  • Luke 10:38-42

    Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: …

  • Matthew 25:1

    Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

  • John 11:30

    Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

  • Acts 10:25

    And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped him.

  • Matthew 25:6

    And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

  • Acts 28:15

    And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as soon.
30; Mt 25:1,6; Ac 10:25; 28:15; 1Th 4:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • John 11:19

    And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

  • John 11:20

    Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

  • John 11:21

    Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Read all of John 11

John 11:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Marta, como oyó que Jesús venía, salió á encontrarle; mas María se estuvo en casa.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Marthe donc, quand elle eut entendu dire que Jésus venait, alla au-devant de lui; mais Marie se tenait assise dans la maison.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Martha nun, als sie hörte, daß Jesus komme, ging ihm entgegen. Maria aber saß im Hause.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Martha ergo ut audivit quia Jesus venit, occurrit illi: Maria autem domi sedebat.