John 20 · Verse 14

John 20:14

And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
John 20:14, King James Version

John 20:14 in other translations

BSBWhen she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.
WEBWhen she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.
ASVWhen she had thus said, she turned herself back, and beholdeth Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
YLTand these things having said, she turned backward, and seeth Jesus standing, and she had not known that it is Jesus.
DARBYHaving said these things she turned backward and beholds Jesus standing there, and knew not that it was Jesus.
BBEAnd then looking round, she saw Jesus there, but had no idea that it was Jesus.
WebsterAnd when she had thus said, she turned herself about, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

What does John 20:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on John 20:11-15

11-15. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, &c.--Brief was the stay of those two men. But Mary, arriving perhaps by another direction after they left, lingers at the spot, weeping for her missing Lord. As she gazes through her tears on the open tomb, she also ventures to stoop down and look into it, when lo! "two angels in white" (as from the world of light, and see on Mt 28:3) appear to her in a…

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Barnes' Notes
Verse 14. Knew not that it was Jesus. She was not expecting to see him. It was yet also twilight, and she could not see distinctly.

(i) "saw Jesus standing" Mt 28:9, Mk 16:9 (k) "knew not that" Lk 24:16,31, Jn 21:4

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 She turned herself back - Or, εστραφη εις τα οπισω, she was turned back, i.e. to go again with the other women to Jerusalem, who had already departed; but she had not as yet gone so far as to be out of the garden. Knew not that it was Jesus - John has here omitted what the angels said to the women, about Christ's being risen; probably because it was so particularly related by the other evangelists: Mat 28:5-7; Mar 16:6, Mar 16:7; Luk 24:5-7. Mary was so absorbed in grief that she paid but little attention to the person of our Lord, and therefore did not at first discern it to be him; nor could she imagine such an appearance possible, as she had no conception of his resurrection from the dead. She was therefore every way unprepared to recognize the person of our Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on John 20:11-18

We are likely to seek and find, when we seek with affection, and seek in tears. But many believers complain of the clouds and darkness they are under, which are methods of grace for humbling their souls, mortifying their sins, and endearing Christ to them. A sight of angels and their smiles, will not suffice, without a sight of Jesus, and God's smiles in him. None know, but those who have tasted it, the sorrows of a…

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John 20:14 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.

ταῦταtautaThese thingsG3778
εἰποῦσαeipousahaving saidG2036
ἐστράφηestraphēshe turnedG4762
εἰςeistoG1519
τὰtatheG3588
ὀπίσωopisōbackG3694
καὶkaiandG2532
θεωρεῖtheōreishe seesG2334
τὸνton<the>G3588
ἸησοῦνIēsounJesusG2424
ἑστῶταhestōtaalready standing [there]G2476
καὶkaiandG2532
οὐκouknotG3756
ᾔδειēdeiknewG1492
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἸησοῦςIēsousJesusG2424
ἐστιν.estinit is.G1510

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

Cross references for John 20:14

  • Luke 24:16

    But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

  • John 21:4

    But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

  • 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.

  • Song of Solomon 3:3-4

    The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

  • Matthew 28:9

    And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

  • Luke 24:31

    And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

  • John 8:59

    Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

  • Mark 16:12

    After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

  • Luke 4:30

    But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and saw.
So 3:3,4; Mt 28:9; Mr 16:9
and knew.
8:59; 21:4; Mr 16:12; Lu 4:30; 24:16,31

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

Context

  • John 20:13

    And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

  • John 20:14

    And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

  • John 20:15

    Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Read all of John 20

John 20:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y como hubo dicho esto, volvióse atrás, y vió á Jesús que estaba allí; mas no sabía que era Jesús.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Ayant dit cela, elle se tourna en arrière, et elle voit Jésus qui était là; et elle ne savait pas que c’était Jésus.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Als sie dies gesagt hatte, wandte sie sich zurück und sieht Jesum stehen; und sie wußte nicht, daß es Jesus sei.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hæc cum dixisset, conversa est retrorsum, et vidit Jesum stantem: et non sciebat quia Jesus est.