Devine Scripture

John 20:12

What does John 20:12 mean?

A plain-English look at John 20:12 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What John 20:12 means

As Mary Magdalene looked into the tomb, she saw two angels, clothed in white, seated where Jesus' body had rested—one at the head and one at the feet. This visual detail, evocative of the cherubim on the ark of the covenant, emphasizes the sacredness and divine significance of the space previously occupied by our Lord. The presence of angels serves as a divine confirmation that something extraordinary, beyond human comprehension, has occurred, though Mary is still too consumed by sorrow to immediately grasp its meaning.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

She saw two angels in white seated where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And she saw two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

and beholds two angels sitting in white [garments], one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Context

This verse follows Mary's renewed look into the tomb, directly preceding her encounter with the angels. Their appearance transforms the empty tomb from a place of mystery and grief into a scene of divine revelation. These angelic messengers serve to prepare Mary for the even greater revelation of Jesus himself, setting the stage for the first post-resurrection appearance.

v.11But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping: so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb;

v.12This passage

v.13And 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.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Matthew 17:2

    and he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the sun, and his garments became white as the light.

  • Luke 24:22

    Moreover certain women of our company amazed us, having been early at the tomb;

  • Luke 24:3

    And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

  • Daniel 7:9

    I beheld till thrones were placed, and one that was ancient of days did sit: his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.

  • 2 Chronicles 5:12

    also the Levites who were the singers, all of them, even Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and their sons and their brethren, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets);

  • Matthew 28:2

    And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it.

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