John 20 27

John 20:27 kjv

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

John 20:27 nkjv

Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."

John 20:27 niv

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

John 20:27 esv

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."

John 20:27 nlt

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer. Believe!"

John 20 verses

John 20 27 Meaning

John 20:27 presents Jesus, after His resurrection, directly addressing the doubting disciple Thomas. Jesus invites Thomas to physically verify His resurrected body by examining and touching His hands, marked by nail wounds, and His side, pierced by a spear. This immediate and personal invitation directly responds to Thomas's previously stated demand for physical proof. The verse culminates in a direct command to Thomas: "Do not be unbelieving, but believing," transitioning him from a state of skepticism to a state of faith based on undeniable evidence. It signifies a profound demonstration of God's condescension to human doubt and an authoritative call to trust in the reality of the resurrection.

John 20 27 Context

John 20:27 occurs on the evening of the Lord's Day, eight days after Jesus' first appearance to His disciples following His resurrection (John 20:19-23). Thomas, famously called "Didymus" (the Twin), was absent during that initial encounter and subsequently declared that he would not believe in Jesus' resurrection unless he personally saw the nail marks in His hands, put his finger in them, and thrust his hand into Jesus' side (John 20:25).

The immediate context is Jesus' second post-resurrection appearance to the assembled disciples, now including Thomas. The broader chapter highlights the astonishing reality of the resurrection, starting with Mary Magdalene's discovery of the empty tomb, then her encounter with Jesus, and Jesus' appearance to the disciples, granting them peace and commissioning them. The Gospel of John itself emphasizes faith (πιστεύω - pisteuō) as central to knowing Jesus and receiving eternal life. This verse serves as a crucial point where the truth of the physical resurrection is underscored against any notion of a mere spiritual reappearance or hallucination.

Historically, this detailed description of Jesus' wounds directly challenged emerging or latent Gnostic ideas (like Docetism) which posited that Jesus only appeared to be human or only seemed to suffer. John powerfully counters this by presenting a physically real, though transformed, resurrected body, bearing the authentic marks of crucifixion. The insistence on touch and sight appealed to Jewish standards of eyewitness testimony and provided indisputable evidence for the original audience.

John 20 27 Word Analysis

• Then He said to Thomas: Direct address from Jesus, showing His specific awareness of Thomas's doubt and His intentionality in reaching him. It signifies a personal invitation and a sovereign act.
• "Reach": Greek: φέρω (pherō). Means to 'bring,' 'bear,' 'carry,' or 'offer.' Here, it implies an active, intentional movement of Thomas's hand, an engagement in the act of verification.
• "your finger here": The instruction is precise, acknowledging Thomas's specific demand. "Finger" points to the delicate and intimate action of probing.
• "and look at My hands": Invites visual inspection first, focusing on the crucifixion marks. "Hands" were pierced by nails (implied from John 20:25), central evidence of His suffering and death.
• "and reach your hand here": A repetition of the verb "reach," reinforcing the command. "Hand" (χείρ - cheir) implies a more substantial, probing action than just a finger, indicative of deep inspection.
• "and put it into My side": The most definitive physical proof of His death. The Greek word here for "side" (πλευρά - pleura) specifically refers to the side of the body. This is where the soldier pierced Jesus with a spear, causing blood and water to flow (John 19:34), verifying actual death. This action would remove any possibility of faintness or hallucination.
• "Do not be unbelieving": Greek: μὴ γίνου ἄπιστος (mē ginou apistos). A strong negative imperative (μὴ + present imperative) meaning "stop being unbelieving" or "do not continue to be unbelieving." The word apistos means 'without faith,' 'faithless,' or 'untrustworthy.' It indicates a state of doubt or lack of belief that Jesus commands to cease.
• "but believing": Greek: ἀλλὰ πιστός (alla pistos). "But be believing" or "rather be faithful." This is a direct antonym and an affirmative command to change from doubt to a state of faith. Pistos means 'faithful,' 'trustworthy,' or 'believing.' It's not just a change of mind, but a disposition of trust.

Words-group Analysis

• "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side": This phrase directly addresses and fulfills Thomas's exact requirements for proof, showcasing Jesus' intimate knowledge of Thomas's thoughts and His incredible grace. It provides irrefutable physical evidence of the bodily resurrection, refuting any idea that Jesus was a mere spirit or phantom. It underscores the physical reality of the resurrection, a key theme against contemporary Gnostic tendencies that denied the material world and a real bodily resurrection.
• "Do not be unbelieving, but believing": This climactic command transitions from an invitation for physical verification to a spiritual imperative. It's not enough to simply witness the proof; one must choose to embrace belief. This highlights that while evidence is given, faith remains a conscious choice and a moral posture. It distinguishes between merely having facts and truly yielding to the truth.

John 20 27 Bonus Section

The interaction with Thomas eight days after the initial resurrection appearance holds significance. The "eighth day" can be seen as representing the new creation, a day beyond the conventional seven days of creation, symbolic of Jesus inaugurating a new spiritual era. Thomas's physical verification serves as a pattern for belief. While he needed to see and touch, Jesus' blessing in the subsequent verse (John 20:29) for "those who have not seen and yet have believed" broadens the call to faith to all future generations who would come to believe through the testimony of the disciples, without direct sensory evidence. This implies that faith in the testimony of reliable witnesses is a valid and blessed path to belief, forming the foundation of Christian experience for subsequent believers. Jesus' precise knowledge of Thomas's private declaration (John 20:25) before he voiced it directly to Jesus further underscores His divine omniscience.

John 20 27 Commentary

John 20:27 encapsulates the heart of the resurrection message and the nature of true faith. Jesus, in His glorified but still-wounded body, graciously confronts Thomas's precise skepticism. By inviting touch, He affirms the tangible, historical reality of His death and resurrection, dismantling any notion of a mere spiritual appearance. This direct, personalized encounter underscores God's willingness to meet individuals in their doubt. The pivotal command, "Do not be unbelieving, but believing," transitions from the physical proof to a moral call to faith. It reveals that belief is not merely intellectual assent to facts, but a volitional act of trust and allegiance. This moment transforms Thomas from the ultimate skeptic into a fervent worshiper ("My Lord and My God!" - John 20:28), demonstrating that genuine encounter with the risen Christ leads to profound conversion and devotion. The verse serves as an enduring reminder that faith, while often aided by evidence, ultimately demands a commitment of the heart, overcoming even the most stubborn resistance.

Examples for practical usage:

• Acknowledging honest doubt in faith journeys, much like Jesus met Thomas.
• Emphasizing that faith isn't blind but often built upon verifiable historical events and personal encounters with Christ.
• Challenging persistent skepticism with the call to actively engage with the truth of the Gospel.