John 20 13

John 20:13 kjv

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 20:13 nkjv

Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

John 20:13 niv

They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him."

John 20:13 esv

They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."

John 20:13 nlt

"Dear woman, why are you crying?" the angels asked her. "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't know where they have put him."

John 20 verses

John 20 13 Meaning

John 20:13 describes the moment Mary Magdalene, weeping outside Jesus' empty tomb, encounters two angels. They inquire why she is weeping, to which she responds that Jesus, whom she refers to as "my Lord," has been taken away, and she does not know where His body has been placed. This verse highlights Mary's profound grief and devotion, as well as her immediate, yet mistaken, interpretation of the empty tomb—she believed the body had been stolen rather than that He had been resurrected.

John 20 13 Context

John chapter 20 details the immediate aftermath of Jesus' resurrection. It begins early on the first day of the week with Mary Magdalene coming to the tomb, finding the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. She immediately assumes Jesus' body has been stolen and runs to tell Peter and John. After Peter and John investigate the empty tomb and leave, Mary remains outside, still weeping. Her deep grief and bewilderment are central to this scene. She is consumed by sorrow, believing her Lord has been taken, and it is in this emotional state that the angels appear to her, just before Jesus Himself reveals His resurrected presence. Her words in verse 13 reflect her personal anguish and her misapprehension of the miraculous event that had just occurred.

John 20 13 Word analysis

• And they say unto her: The pronoun "they" refers to the "two angels in white" mentioned in the preceding verse (Jn 20:12). This signifies a divine inquiry, a prelude to further revelation.
• Woman, (γύναι - Gynai): This is a polite, respectful form of address, not dismissive. It is the same term Jesus uses for His mother (Jn 2:4; 19:26) and for Mary Magdalene herself just moments later (Jn 20:15). It shows the gentle approach of the heavenly beings.
• Why (Τί - Ti): A direct and open question, inviting an explanation for her visible distress. It seeks the root cause of her weeping.
• weepest thou? (κλαίεις; - klaiēs): From the verb klaíō, meaning to weep or wail aloud, often implying audible expression of sorrow, lamenting, or grief. It highlights her profound emotional state. The question serves not to chide, but to open communication and understand her distress, which is based on a misunderstanding of the true event.
• She saith unto them, : Mary's response confirms her ability to perceive and communicate with these heavenly beings.
• Because they have taken away (Ὅτι ἦραν - Hoti ēran): "Because" indicates the direct cause of her weeping. Ēran is from the verb airō, meaning to lift, take up, or carry away. Mary's conviction is that Jesus' body has been removed or stolen, reinforcing her immediate assumption (Jn 20:2). This highlights her human perspective, unable to immediately grasp the concept of resurrection.
• my Lord, (τὸν Κύριόν μου - ton Kyrion mou): This phrase demonstrates Mary's profound personal relationship and deep devotion to Jesus. "Lord" (Kyrios) here denotes her respect, allegiance, and intimate bond with Him, even in death. It's a statement of personal belonging and ownership in a relationship sense, signifying her immense love and sense of personal loss.
• and I know not where they have laid him. This part expresses her disorientation and helplessness. Her grief is compounded by the lack of knowledge about the body's whereabouts, preventing her from completing any respectful mourning rituals. She is desperately seeking the physical body of Jesus.

Words-group analysis:

• "Woman, why weepest thou?": This repeated question (also by Jesus in Jn 20:15) serves as a gentle inquiry into her grief. It acknowledges her emotional state and seeks to guide her understanding towards the true nature of the empty tomb. It contrasts human sorrow with the divine reality of resurrection.
• "Because they have taken away my Lord": This phrase encapsulates Mary's deep personal grief, her limited understanding, and her absolute devotion. Her tears are for "my Lord," signifying an intimate connection and not merely a teacher or a figure of respect. It sets up the narrative tension, highlighting the chasm between her human sorrow over a presumed loss and the divine joy of Christ's resurrection. Her belief that "they" (unidentified persons) took Him indicates a lack of malicious intent assumed on her part, but rather a profound bewilderment and distress at the desecration of His supposed grave.

John 20 13 Bonus section

The scene of Mary weeping by the tomb, questioning the disappearance of Jesus' body, highlights a recurring theme in the gospels: the initial disbelief and struggle of Jesus' followers to grasp the reality of His resurrection, despite His prior predictions. Mary's tears are a pure expression of love and sorrow, making her a relatable figure for anyone who has experienced profound loss or longed for the presence of the divine. Her persistence at the tomb, even after the disciples left, underscores her unique devotion and positioning her as the first individual to encounter the resurrected Christ directly (Jn 20:14-16). This brief dialogue with the angels also prefigures the ultimate encounter with Jesus, as His subsequent words to her in Jn 20:15 perfectly echo the angels' compassionate question, creating a poignant and seamless transition to the Lord's revealing presence. The presence of angels at the tomb signifies the divine importance of the resurrection event and provides early heavenly testimony to Christ's victory over death.

John 20 13 Commentary

John 20:13 is a poignant moment demonstrating Mary Magdalene's immense love and grief for Jesus, highlighting the initial human struggle to comprehend the resurrection. Her tears are a testament to her deep devotion, as she is physically distraught by the absence of the body of "my Lord." The angels' gentle inquiry, "Woman, why weepest thou?" serves as an invitation to voice her sorrow and also subtly redirects her focus. Her response, based on the assumption of theft rather than resurrection, sets the stage for Jesus' subsequent appearance to correct her misunderstanding and transform her grief into profound joy and a commission to announce the good news. This verse beautifully captures the transition from mourning for a seemingly lost Messiah to the glorious dawn of the resurrection truth, emphasizing that sincere seeking, even if misguided by grief, often leads to divine revelation.