John 20 8

John 20:8 kjv

Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

John 20:8 nkjv

Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

John 20:8 niv

Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.

John 20:8 esv

Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;

John 20:8 nlt

Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed ?

John 20 verses

John 20 8 Meaning

This verse describes the reaction of the disciple whom Jesus loved after seeing the grave clothes of Jesus left behind. It highlights his belief in Jesus' resurrection.

John 20 8 Context

This verse occurs in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' resurrection. Mary Magdalene had already discovered the empty tomb and informed Peter and the beloved disciple. Peter arrived first, went inside, and saw the linen cloths. This verse describes the beloved disciple's arrival, entry into the tomb, and his observation of the discarded grave clothes, which led to his belief. The overall context is the dawning realization and confirmation of Jesus' resurrection by his closest followers, moving from initial shock and confusion to dawning faith. Culturally, the meticulous arrangement of grave clothes, rather than them being haphazardly thrown aside, carried significant weight in signaling that Jesus' body had not been stolen or disturbed in any ordinary way.

John 20 8 Word analysis

• "Simon" (Συμεών - Syōneōn): A transliteration of the Greek name for Simon.
• "Peter" (Πέτρος - Petros): The Greek name meaning "rock" or "stone," given to Simon by Jesus.
• "came" (ἦλθεν - ēlthen): Aorist indicative active verb, third person singular of ἔρχομαι (erchomai), meaning "to come" or "to go." It signifies the action of arriving.
• "following" (ἔρχομένου - erchomenou): Present participle, genitive singular of ἔρχομαι (erchomai), meaning "coming" or "following." It indicates that Peter was in the process of arriving, possibly preceded by the beloved disciple but acting as the one directly following him to the tomb.
• "entered" (εἰσῆλθεν - eisēlthen): Aorist indicative active verb, third person singular of εἰσέρχομαι (eiserchomai), meaning "to enter" or "to go into."
• "the" (τὸ - to): Definite article, neuter singular nominative/accusative.
• "tomb" (μνημεῖον - mnēmeion): Means "tomb," "sepulchre," or "memorial."
• "and" (καὶ - kai): Conjunction, meaning "and" or "also."
• "saw" (εἶδεν - eiden): Aorist indicative active verb, third person singular of ὁράω (horaō), meaning "to see." It denotes the act of perceiving visually.
• "the" (τὰ - ta): Definite article, neuter plural nominative/accusative.
• "linen cloths" (ὀθόνια - othonia): Neuter plural of ὀθόνιον (othonion), meaning "linen cloth" or "wrapper." This refers to the strips of linen used to wrap the body.
• "lying" (κείμενα - keimena): Present participle, neuter plural nominative of κεῖμαι (keimai), meaning "to lie down" or "to be laid."
• "there" (κεῖ — not in Greek, implies placement in the tomb): Refers to the state of being in a particular place.
• "also" (τε — not explicit, but implied in structure): Conjunction.
• "the" (δὲ — de): Particle, often used to introduce a new thought or contrast, translated as "but" or "and."
• "cloth" (σουδάριον - soudarion): Neuter singular of σουδάριον (soudarion), meaning "headband" or "sweat cloth" (from Latin sudarium). It refers to the cloth that covered Jesus' head.
• "that" (τὸ — to): Definite article, neuter singular nominative/accusative.
• "had been" (ἦν — not explicit in Greek, implied by context): Past state.
• "on" (ἐπὶ — epi): Preposition, meaning "on," "upon," "at."
• "his" (τῆς κεφαλῆς — tēs kěphalēs): Genitive singular of κεφαλή (kephalē), meaning "head."
• "head" (τοῦ — tou): Genitive singular of the article, "of the."
• "not" (οὐ — ou): Negative particle.
• "with" (μετὰ — meta): Preposition, meaning "with."
• "the" (τῶν — tōn): Genitive plural of the article, "of the."
• "linen cloths" (ὀθονίων — othoniōn): Genitive plural of ὀθόνιον (othonion).
• "but" (ἀλλὰ — alla): Conjunction, meaning "but."
• "rolled up" (χωρὶς – chōris): Adverb meaning "apart," "separately," or "aside." This participle implies being set aside or separated from the other cloths.
• "in" (κείμενον – keimenon): Participle, neuter singular nominative of κεῖμαι (keimai), "lying," indicating its separate position.
• "a" (not explicit, implied by plural "place")
• "separate" (χώρᾳ – chōra): Noun, dative singular of χώρα (chōra), meaning "place" or "region."
• "place" (ἐν - en): Preposition, meaning "in" or "at."

Word Group Analysis

• "linen cloths lying there": The Greek phrase (ὀθόνια κείμενα) specifically points to the grave clothes of the body itself, being placed in a passive state, not removed as if by a thief.
• "the cloth that had been on his head, not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a separate place": This detail (τὸ δὲ σουδάριον τὸ περὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ὀθόνια, κείμενον χωρὶς ἐν τόπῳ) is highly significant. The separation and neat rolling of the head cloth implies deliberation and order, not haste or disorder. It wasn't just removed; it was carefully placed.

John 20 8 Bonus section

The particular attention to the soudarion (head cloth) being rolled up separately is a very specific detail. In ancient Jewish burial customs, the head was often wrapped separately. The careful placement suggests that Jesus was not like Lazarus who was unbound (John 11:44) and had to have the cloths removed by others, but rather he divested himself of these grave clothes. This action demonstrates Jesus' victory over death and the grave, making the tomb empty not through theft but through resurrection power. The beloved disciple, known for his spiritual insight, grasps this profound truth from the scene. This is often considered one of the quietest but most powerful affirmations of the resurrection in Scripture, where the absence of a body, coupled with the orderly state of its discarded wrappings, becomes the ultimate proof for one who had eyes to see.

John 20 8 Commentary

The beloved disciple’s observation of the undisturbed and neatly placed grave clothes, especially the head cloth, leads him to believe. This is a crucial moment because the evidence is visual, yet the interpretation transcends a mere physical examination. The orderly state of the tomb contradicts a robbery scenario. A thief would likely have taken everything or left things in disarray. The careful arrangement of the burial cloths, as John meticulously records, implies a deliberate act of leaving them behind by a resurrected Christ. It signifies that Jesus had passed through death and out of these earthly bindings in a manner beyond human comprehension, not by being stolen or disturbed. This discernment marks the disciple’s faith based on the evidence presented, highlighting the intelligent and orderly nature of divine action even in events of profound supernatural significance. His faith is an intellectual assent, a "seeing and believing" based on what the evidence profoundly suggested.

Examples for practical usage

• When facing difficult circumstances, remember that God’s actions, though sometimes mysterious, are orderly and purposeful.
• In understanding spiritual truths, sometimes the most profound insights come from observing the seemingly small details that point to God’s power.