John 20 · Verse 1

John 20:1

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
John 20:1, King James Version

John 20:1 in other translations

BSBEarly on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
WEBNow on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
ASVNow on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb.
YLTAnd on the first of the sabbaths, Mary the Magdalene doth come early (there being yet darkness) to the tomb, and she seeth the stone having been taken away out of the tomb,
DARBYAnd on the first day of the week Mary of Magdala comes in early morn to the tomb, while it was still dark, and sees the stone taken away from the tomb.
BBENow on the first day of the week, very early, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the place and saw that the stone had been taken away from it.
WebsterThe first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.

What does John 20:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 20:1-2

Joh 20:1-18. Mary's Visit to the Sepulchre, and Return to It with Peter and John--Her Risen Lord Appears to Her.

1-2. The first day ... cometh Mary Magdalene early, &c.--(See on Mr 16:1-4; and Mt 28:1, 2). she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre--Dear disciple! thy dead Lord is to thee "the Lord" still.

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

Barnes' Notes
Verses 1-12. For an account of the resurrection of Christ, See Barnes Notes on Matthew 27.

(a) "first day of week" Mt 28:1, Mk 16:1, Lk 24:1

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Mary Magdalene, coming early to the sepulchre, finds it empty, and runs and tells Peter, Joh 20:1, Joh 20:2. Peter and John run to the tomb, and find all as Mary had reported, Joh 20:3-10. Mary sees a vision of angels in the tomb, Joh 20:11-13. Jesus himself appears to her, and sends her with a message to the disciples, Joh 20:14-18. He appears to the disciples, gives the fullest proof of the reality of his resurrection, and communicates to them a measure of the Holy Spirit, Joh 20:19-23. The determined incredulity of Thomas, Joh 20:24, Joh 20:25. Eight days after, Jesus appears again to the disciples, Thomas being present, to whom he gives the proofs he had desired, Joh 20:26, Joh 20:27. Thomas is convinced, and makes a noble confession, Joh 20:28. Our Lord's reflections on his case, Joh 20:29. Various signs done by Christ, not circumstantially related, Joh 20:30. Why others are recorded, Joh 20:31. All that John relates concerning the resurrection of our Lord he has collected partly from the account given by Mary Magdalene, and partly from his own observations. From Mary he derived the information given, Joh 20:1, Joh 20:2, and from Joh 20:11-18. From his own actual knowledge, what he relates, Joh 3:3-10, Joh 3:19-29, and the whole of John 21:1-25. It is supposed that he details the account given by Mary, without altering any circumstance, and without either addition or retrenchment. See Rosenmuller. Verse 1 The first day of the week - On what we call Sunday morning, the morning after the Jewish Sabbath. As Christ had been buried in haste, these holy women had bought aromatics, Mar 16:1; Luk 24:1, to embalm him afresh, and in a more complete manner than it could have been done by Joseph and Nicodemus. John only mentions Mary of Magdala, because he appears to wish to give a more detailed history of her conduct than of any of the rest; but the other evangelists speak of three persons who went together to the tomb, viz. Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome: Mat 28:1; Mar 16:1.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 20:1-10
If Christ gave his life a ransom, and had not taken it again, it would not have appeared that his giving it was accepted as satisfaction. It was a great trial to Mary, that the body was gone. Weak believers often make that the matter of complaint, which is really just ground of hope, and matter of joy. It is well when those more honoured than others with the privileges of disciples, are more active than others in the duty of disciples; more willing to take pains, and run hazards, in a good work. We must do our best, and neither envy those who can do better, nor despise those who do as well as they can, though they come behind. The disciple whom Jesus loved in a special manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus, was foremost. The love of Christ will make us to abound in every duty more than any thing else. He that was behind was Peter, who had denied Christ. A sense of guilt hinders us in the service of God. As yet the disciples knew not the Scripture; they Christ must rise again from the dead.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

John 20:1 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.

ΤῇTēa<the>G3588
δὲdeNowG1161
μιᾷmiaon the first [day]G1520
τῶνtōnof theG3588
σαββάτωνsabbatōnweekG4521
ΜαρίαMariaMaryG3137
ἡhē<the>G3588
ΜαγδαληνὴMagdalēnēMagdaleneG3094
ἔρχεταιerchetaicomesG2064
πρωῒprōiearlyG4404
σκοτίαςskotiaswhen darkG4653
ἔτιetistillG2089
οὔσηςousēsit beingG1510
εἰςeistoG1519
τὸtotheG3588
μνημεῖονmnēmeiontombG3419
καὶkaiandG2532
βλέπειblepeishe seesG991
τὸνtontheG3588
λίθονlithonstoneG3037
ἠρμένονērmenonremovedG142
ἐκekfromG1537
τοῦtoutheG3588
μνημείου.mnēmeioutomb.G3419

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

Cross references for John 20:1

  • Mark 16:9

    Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

  • Matthew 27:60

    And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

  • Revelation 1:10

    I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

  • John 19:25

    Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

  • Luke 24:1-10

    Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: …

  • Mark 15:46

    And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

  • Matthew 27:64-28:10

    Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. …

  • John 20:26

    And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

  • Mark 16:1-5

    And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. …

  • John 20:18-19

    Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

  • 1 Corinthians 16:2

    Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

  • Acts 20:7

    And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Mary comes to the sepulchre;
3 so do Peter and John, ignorant of the resurrection.
11 Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene,
19 and to his disciples.
24 The incredulity and confession of Thomas.
30 The Scripture is sufficient to salvation.

first.
19,26; Ac 20:7; 1Co 16:2; Re 1:10
cometh.Mary Magdalene, as well as Peter, was evidently at the sepulchre twice on that morning of the resurrection. The first time of her going was some short time before her companions, the other Mary and Salome (Mt 28:1); and observing that the stone had been removed, she returned to inform Peter and John. In the meantime, the other Mary and Salome came to the sepulchre, and saw the angel, as recorded by Matthew and Mark. While these women returned to the city, Peter and John went to the sepulchre, passing them at some distance, or going another way, followed by Mary Magdalene, who stayed after their return. This was her second journey; when she saw two angels, and then Jesus himself, as here related; and immediately after Jesus appeared to the other women, as they returned to the city. (Mt 28:9, 10.) In the meantime Joanna and her company arrived at the sepulchre, when two angels appeared to them, and addressed them as the one angel had done the other women, (Lu 24:1-10.) They immediately returned to the city, and by some means found the apostles before the others arrived, and informed them of what they had seen; upon which Peter went a second time to the sepulchre, but saw only the linen clothes lying. (Lu 24:12.)
Mt 28:1-10; Mr 16:1,2,9; Lu 24:1-10
the stone.
Mt 27:60,64-66; 28:2; Mr 15:46; 16:3,4

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

Context

  • John 20:1

    The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

  • John 20:2

    Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Read all of John 20

John 20:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y EL primer día de la semana, María Magdalena vino de mañana, siendo aún obscuro, al sepulcro; y vió la piedra quitada del sepulcro.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le premier jour de la semaine, Marie de Magdala vint le matin au sépulcre, comme il faisait encore nuit; et elle voit la pierre ôtée du sépulcre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		An dem ersten Wochentage aber kommt Maria Magdalene früh, als es noch finster war, zur Gruft und sieht den Stein von der Gruft weggenommen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Una autem sabbati, Maria Magdalene venit mane, cum adhuc tenebræ essent, ad monumentum: et vidit lapidem sublatum a monumento.