YHN 20:25 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Then the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and put my finger into the mark of the nails and put my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe.”

UST The other disciples told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord Jesus!” However, he told them, “I will only believe you if I see the holes in his hands that were caused by nails and put my fingers in them and if I put my hand into the wound on his side that was made by a spear.”

BSB So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
§ But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger [where] the nails [have been], and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

MSB So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
§ But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger [where] the nails [have been], and put my hand into His side, I will never believe.”

BLB So the other disciples were saying to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hands into His side, I will never believe."

AICNT So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

OEB so the rest of the disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Master!’
¶ ‘Unless I see the marks of the nails in his hands,’ he exclaimed, ‘and put my finger into the marks, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.’

WEBBE The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!”
¶ But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET The other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “Unless I see the wounds from the nails in his hands, and put my finger into the wounds from the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it!”

LSV the other disciples, therefore, said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” And he said to them, “If I may not see the mark of the nails in His hands, and may [not] put my finger into the mark of the nails, and may [not] put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

FBV So the other disciples told him, “We've seen the Lord.”
¶ But he replied, “I won't believe it unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger in them, and put my hand in his side.”

TCNT So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe.”

T4T When the rest of us told him that we had seen the Lord, he said to us, “If I do not see the marks of the nails in his hands and put my fingers in the place where the nails were, and put my hands into the place in his side where the soldier thrust the spear, I will certainly not believe that he was the one you saw!”

LEB So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe!”

BBE So the other disciples said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, If I do not see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and if I do not put my hand into his side, I will never have belief.

Moff and when the rest of the disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord," he said, "Unless I see his hands with the mark of the nails, and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe it."

Wymth So the rest of the disciples told him, "We have seen the Master!" His reply was, "Unless I see in his hands the wound made by the nails and put my finger into the wound, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe it."

ASV The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

DRA The other disciples therefore said to him: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

YLT the other disciples, therefore, said to him, 'We have seen the Lord;' and he said to them, 'If I may not see in his hands the mark of the nails, and may put my finger to the mark of the nails, and may put my hand to his side, I will not believe.'

Drby The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

RV The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

SLT Then said the other disciples to him, We have seen the Lord. And he said to them, Except I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Wbstr The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. But he said to them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

KJB-1769 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

KJB-1611 The other disciples therefore said vnto him, We haue seene the Lord. But he said vnto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nailes, and put my finger into the print of the nailes, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not beleeue.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps The other disciples therfore sayde vnto hym, we haue seene the Lorde. But he sayde vnto them: Except I see in his handes the print of the nayles, and put my fynger into the prynt of the nayles, and thruste my hande into his syde, I wyll not beleue.
(The other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord. But he said unto them: Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the prynt of the nails, and thruste my hand into his side, I will not believe.)

Gnva The other disciples therefore saide vnto him, We haue seene the Lord: but he said vnto them, Except I see in his handes the print of the nailes, and put my finger into the print of the nailes, and put mine hand into his side, I will not beleeue it.
(The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord: but he said unto them, Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put mine hand into his side, I will not believe it. )

Cvdl The sayde the other disciples vnto him: We haue sene the LORDE. But he sayde vnto the: Excepte I se in his handes the prynte of the nales, and put my hade in to his syde, I wil not beleue.
(The said the other disciples unto him: We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them: Except I see in his hands the prynte of the nails, and put my hand in to his side, I will not believe.)

TNT The other disciples sayd vnto him: we have sene the lorde. And he sayde vnto the: except I se in his hondes the prent of the nayles and put my fynger in the holes of the nayles and thrust my honde into his syde I will not beleve.
(The other disciples said unto him: we have seen the lorde. And he said unto them: except I see in his hands the prent of the nails and put my finger in the holes of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe. )

Wycl Therfor the othere disciplis seiden, We han seyn the Lord. And he seide to hem, But Y se in hise hondis the fitchinge of the nailis, and putte my fyngur in to the places of the nailis, and putte myn hond in to his side, Y schal not bileue.
(Therefore the other disciples said, We have seen the Lord. And he said to hem, But I see in his hands the fitchinge of the nails, and put my finger in to the places of the nails, and put mine hand in to his side, I shall not believe.)

Luth Da sagten die andern Jünger zu ihm: Wir haben den HErr’s gesehen. Er aber sprach zu ihnen: Es sei denn, daß ich in seinen Händen sehe die Nägelmale und lege meinen Finger in die Nägelmale und lege meine Hand in seine Seite, will ich‘s nicht glauben.
(So said the change disciple to/for him: We have the LORD’s seen. He but spoke to/for to_them: It be because/than, that I in his hands see the nailsmale and lay my finger in the nailsmale and lay my hand in his side(n), will I...it not believe.)

ClVg Dixerunt ergo ei alii discipuli: Vidimus Dominum. Ille autem dixit eis: Nisi videro in manibus ejus fixuram clavorum, et mittam digitum meum in locum clavorum, et mittam manum meam in latus ejus, non credam.
(They_said therefore to_him others students: I_sawmus the_Master. He/That_one however he/she_said to_them: Unless seero in/into/on hands his fixuram clavorum, and I_will_send finger mine in/into/on place clavorum, and I_will_send hand of_mine in/into/on side his, not/no credam. )

UGNT ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί, ἑωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω μου τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.
(elegon oun autōi hoi alloi mathaʸtai, heōrakamen ton Kurion. ho de eipen autois, ean maʸ idō en tais ⱪersin autou ton tupon tōn haʸlōn, kai balō ton daktulon mou eis ton tupon tōn haʸlōn, kai balō mou taʸn ⱪeira eis taʸn pleuran autou, ou maʸ pisteusō.)

SBL-GNT ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί· Ἑωράκαμεν τὸν κύριον. ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καὶ βάλω ⸂μου τὴν χεῖρα⸃ εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.
(elegon oun autōi hoi alloi mathaʸtai; Heōrakamen ton kurion. ho de eipen autois; Ean maʸ idō en tais ⱪersin autou ton tupon tōn haʸlōn kai balō ton daktulon mou eis ton tupon tōn haʸlōn kai balō ⸂mou taʸn ⱪeira⸃ eis taʸn pleuran autou, ou maʸ pisteusō.)

RP-GNT Ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί, Ἑωράκαμεν τὸν κύριον. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.
(Elegon oun autōi hoi alloi mathaʸtai, Heōrakamen ton kurion. Ho de eipen autois, Ean maʸ idō en tais ⱪersin autou ton tupon tōn haʸlōn, kai balō ton daktulon mou eis ton tupon tōn haʸlōn, kai balō taʸn ⱪeira mou eis taʸn pleuran autou, ou maʸ pisteusō.)

TC-GNT Ἔλεγον οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί, Ἑωράκαμεν τὸν Κύριον. Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω [fn]τὴν χεῖρά μου εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω.
(Elegon oun autōi hoi alloi mathaʸtai, Heōrakamen ton Kurion. Ho de eipen autois, Ean maʸ idō en tais ⱪersin autou ton tupon tōn haʸlōn, kai balō ton daktulon mou eis ton tupon tōn haʸlōn, kai balō taʸn ⱪeira mou eis taʸn pleuran autou, ou maʸ pisteusō. )

20:25 την χειρα μου ¦ μου την χειρα NA SBL WH

Key for above GNTs: red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 20:24–29: Jesus appeared to Thomas

Thomas was not in the room when Jesus showed himself to the other disciples. He did not believe the other disciples when they said that Jesus rose from the dead. He wanted to see himself. A week later Jesus showed himself to his disciples again and Thomas was there. He told Thomas to touch the wounds on his body. That way he would know that it was Jesus and believe that he had risen from the dead. When Thomas saw Jesus’ wounds, he realized that he was his Lord and his God.

Here are other possible section headings:

Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds

Thomas saw Jesus and believed

Thomas saw Jesus and realized that he was God

20:25a

So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

Therefore, the other disciples told Thomas, “We^(excl) have seen the/our^(incl) Lord.”
So when Jesus’ other followers met him again, they told him that they had seen the Lord Jesus alive.

So the other disciples told him: When Thomas met the other disciples, they told him about what had happened. In some languages it may be natural to indicate that Thomas had again met the other disciples. For example:

When they met him again , the other disciples said

So: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as So indicates a return to the main story after the background information in 20:24. It also introduces the result of 20:24, what happened because Thomas was not with the others when they saw Jesus. Some translations leave this conjunction implicit. Translate this conjunction in a way that is natural in your language.

told him: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as told implies a repeated action. The disciples told Thomas more than once what happened. You may want to make that explicit. For example:

kept on telling him (JBP)

We have seen the Lord!: This clause refers to what happened when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the evening after his resurrection (20:19). They may have said this clause to Thomas later that night, or a day or two later. So they were talking about something that happened recently, less than a week earlier.

This is direct speech. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this clause as indirect speech. For example:

The other disciples told Thomas that they had seen Jesus alive.

The disciples told Thomas that when he was away, they had seen the Lord.

We: This pronoun is exclusive and refers to all the disciples except Thomas (and Judas).

20:25b–d

Thomas said that in order to believe that Jesus was alive, he must see and touch him himself. He could not trust the witness of the other disciples and needed personal proof. Seeing and touching were his conditions for believing. There are several different ways of translating these conditions. For example:

If I do not see the marks of the nails in his hands…I will not believe

Until I can see for myself the marks of the nails in his hands,…I will not believe.

Only if I see the marks of the nails in his hands…will I believe

But Thomas said, “First, I must see the nail scars in his hands and touch them with my finger. I must put my hand where the spear went into his side. I won’t believe unless I do this!” (CEV)

20:25b

But he replied, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands,

But Thomas said, “I must see the nail marks in his wrists before I believe.
But Thomas answered them, “I need proof. I must see myself where the nails were nailed into his wrists.

But he replied: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as But here introduces an event that was not expected. Thomas’ response to the other disciples was negative and showed doubt. He did not just believe what they said.

Unless I see the nail marks in His hands: This clause is a conditional statement. Thomas told the others a condition that had to be fulfilled before he would believe them. Thomas wanted to see Jesus himself so that he would know that he was the same man that was crucified. If he saw the marks of the nails, he would know that he was really Jesus. There are several ways to express this condition. See the note on 20:25b–d above. For example:

If I do not see…

Until I see…

I must see…

the nail marks in His hands: The Greek word that the BSB translates as marks here refers to the visible damage that the nails did to Jesus’ hands/wrists. (Wrists are the joints between hands and arms.) When he was crucified, the soldiers put nails through his hands/wrists and the wounds were still visible. We do not know what these marks looked like in Jesus’ resurrected body. It is good to leave this as general as possible. For example:

the marks left by the nails on his hands

where the nails wounded his hands

the nail marks: The Greek noun that the BSB translates as marks is singular. However, there was one mark on each hand/wrist, so in some languages it may be natural to use a plural form like the BSB.

in His hands: The Greek word that the BSB translates as hands includes the arms. Soldiers crucified people by nailing nails just above their wrists (the joints between the hands and arms) into the cross. Nails through the hands could not support the weight of the body. See how you translated the word hands in 20:20. In your translation, you may want to use a word that includes the wrists, or refer to the wrists alone. For example:

in his hands/arms

in his wrists

20:25c

and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side,

I must also put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side.
And my own finger must touch the nail holes, and my own hand must feel the spear wound in his side.

and put my finger where the nails have been, and put my hand into His side: This expression continues the conditions Thomas gave before he would believe in Jesus. You may be able to continue the sentence from 20:25b, or it may be natural to start a new sentence. For example:

and put my finger on those scars and my hand in his side (GNT)

And I must put my finger in the nail marks, and my hand in his side.

In some languages it may be natural to indicate two separate actions by using two verbs. For example:

and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side (NIV)

and put my finger in the nail marks, and place my hand into the wound in his side

put my finger where the nails have been: This phrase indicates that Thomas wanted to touch and feel with his finger the nail marks on Jesus’ hands. That way he would know that they were real. For example:

touch/feel the mark with my finger

and put my hand into His side: This phrase indicates that Thomas also wanted to touch and feel the wound in Jesus’ side. The Greek text and the BSB repeat the verb put from the previous phrase: and put my hand into His side. It can be omitted in English, though in some languages it may be natural to repeat the verb. The wound in Jesus’ side is the one that the soldier made when he pierced his side with a spear. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:

feel with my own hand his side

touch with my hand the wound in his side

20:25d

I will never believe.”

If I do not see and touch him, I will not believe!”
If not, I cannot believe that it is true.”

I will never believe: The Greek text emphasizes the word never in this clause. In some languages it may be natural to add an object for the verb believe. Thomas refused to believe that Jesus was alive unless he saw and touched him. For example:

I will not believe it.

I will not believe that it was him.

I will not believe what you^(plur) say.

General Comment on 20:25b–d

In some languages it may be natural to rearrange 20:25b–d. You may want to put Thomas’ conditions for believing at the end of the quotation. For example:

Thomas told them, “I refuse to believe this unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my fingers into them, and put my hand into his side.” (GW)

But Thomas said, “I will not believe it until I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into his side.” (NCV)

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / infostructure

ἐὰν μὴ ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων, καὶ βάλω μου τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ, οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἔλεγον Οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί Ἑωράκαμεν τόν Κύριον ὁ Δέ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐάν μή ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσίν αὐτοῦ τόν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καί βάλω τόν δάκτυλον μού εἰς τόν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καί βάλω μού τήν χεῖραν εἰς τήν πλευράν αὐτοῦ οὒ μή πιστεύσω)

If it would be more natural in your language, you could change the order of these phrases. Alternate translation: [I will certainly not believe unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails and put my finger into the mark of the nails and put my hand into his side]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / doublenegatives

If this double negative would be misunderstood in your language, you could translate it as a positive statement. Alternate translation: [I will believe only if I see in his hands the mark of the nails and put my finger into the mark of the nails and put my hand into his side]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

(Occurrence -1) τὸν τύπον τῶν ἥλων

In both of these occurrences, Thomas is using of to describe mark made by nails. He is referring to the holes in Jesus’ hands that were made by the nails that soldiers used to crucify him. Alternate translation: [the marks made by nails … those marks]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ

into into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἔλεγον Οὖν αὐτῷ οἱ ἄλλοι μαθηταί Ἑωράκαμεν τόν Κύριον ὁ Δέ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἐάν μή ἴδω ἐν ταῖς χερσίν αὐτοῦ τόν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καί βάλω τόν δάκτυλον μού εἰς τόν τύπον τῶν ἥλων καί βάλω μού τήν χεῖραν εἰς τήν πλευράν αὐτοῦ οὒ μή πιστεύσω)

See how you translated his side in [20:20](../20/20md).

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω

Thomas is leaving out some of the words that a sentence would need in many languages to be complete. If it would be helpful in your language, you could supply these words from the context. Alternate translation: [I will certainly not believe that Jesus has become alive again]