John 20:3-10 · Bible study

John 20:3-10 Commentary: Empty Tomb Faith

Greek · 10 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

Peter and John race to the empty tomb. John sees and believes, yet they lack scriptural understanding. What does this reveal about resurrection faith?

Research Summary

Meaning: The first apostolic eyewitnesses to the empty tomb move from confusion to partial faith, with the orderly grave clothes pointing to resurrection.
Key words: “saw and believed” (εἶδεν καὶ ἐπίστευσεν), “not yet” (οὐδέπω) they knew the Scripture, “folded up” (ἐντετυλιγμένον).
Main debate: Did John believe in the resurrection or that the body was taken away? The text leaves room for both, with v.9 qualifying his belief.
Theological theme: Faith begins with evidence but grows through Scripture and encounter with the risen Christ.
Best use: To teach how the resurrection was discovered step by step, and to validate honest uncertainty on the path to faith.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

³Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb.

⁴The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

⁵He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

⁶Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

⁷The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.

⁸Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.

⁹For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.

¹⁰Then the disciples returned to their homes.

WEB World English Bible 2000

³Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.

⁴They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

⁵Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in.

⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,

⁷and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.

⁸So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.

⁹For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

¹⁰So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

KJV King James Version 1769

³Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

⁴So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

⁵And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

⁶Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

⁷And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

⁸Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

¹⁰Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

³Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb.

⁴And they ran both together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb;

⁵and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in.

⁶Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying,

⁷and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.

⁸Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, who came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed.

⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

¹⁰So the disciples went away again unto their own home.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

³Peter, therefore, went forth, and the other disciple, and they were coming to the tomb,

⁴and the two were running together, and the other disciple did run forward more quickly than Peter, and came first to the tomb,

⁵and having stooped down, seeth the linen clothes lying, yet, indeed, he entered not.

⁶Simon Peter, therefore, cometh, following him, and he entered into the tomb, and beholdeth the linen clothes lying,

⁷and the napkin that was upon his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but apart, having been folded up, in one place;

⁸then, therefore, entered also the other disciple who came first unto the tomb, and he saw, and did believe;

⁹for not yet did they know the Writing, that it behoveth him out of the dead to rise again.

¹⁰The disciples therefore went away again unto their own friends,

Darby Darby Bible 1890

³Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and came to the tomb.

⁴And the two ran together, and the other disciple ran forward faster than Peter, and came first to the tomb,

⁵and stooping down he sees the linen cloths lying; he did not however go in.

⁶Simon Peter therefore comes, following him, and entered into the tomb, and sees the linen cloths lying,

⁷and the handkerchief which was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a distinct place by itself.

⁸Then entered in therefore the other disciple also who came first to the tomb, and he saw and believed;

⁹for they had not yet known the scripture, that he must rise from among [the] dead.

¹⁰The disciples therefore went away again to their own home.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

³Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple: and they came to the sepulchre.

⁴And they both ran together: and that other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre.

⁵And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying: but yet he went not in.

⁶Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre: and saw the linen cloths lying,

⁷And the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place.

⁸Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulchre: and he saw and believed.

⁹For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

¹⁰The disciples therefore departed again to their home.

Verse in Context

1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

2 Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”

3 Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.

4 They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

5 Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in.

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,

7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.

8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.

9 For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,

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

Original Language (Koine Greek)

New Testament · Koine Greek · John 20:3

Ἐξῆλθεν Exēlthen G1831 Went forth

οὖν oun G3767 therefore

ὁ ho G3588 <the>

Πέτρος Petros G4074 Peter

καὶ kai G2532 and

ὁ ho G3588 the

ἄλλος allos G0243 other

μαθητὴς mathētēs G3101 disciple

καὶ kai G2532 and

ἤρχοντο ērchonto G2064 were coming

εἰς eis G1519 to

τὸ to G3588 the

μνημεῖον· mnēmeion G3419 tomb;

Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators agree this passage is the first apostolic investigation of the empty tomb, narrated with eyewitness precision. The imperfect tenses (ἤρχοντο, ἔτρεχον) emphasize ongoing action: they were coming, they were running. John, the other disciple, arrives first but stops at the entrance. Peter, impulsive and direct, enters immediately. The orderly state of the grave clothes, linen wrappings still lying, the face cloth folded separately, persuades observers that the body was not hastily removed (Calvin, JFB). John then enters and “saw and believed.” But what he believed is debated. Calvin insists he believed in the resurrection; Clarke argues he believed Mary’s report that the body was taken. Verse 9 qualifies that they did not yet know the Scripture that he must rise. At most, their faith was partial, based on sight alone. All note the evangelist’s honesty in confessing their slowness to understand. The passage refuses to overstate the disciples’ faith; they are confused witnesses, not instant believers.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Medium

Main views:

Resurrection faith from sight: John’s use of ‘believed’ (ἐπίστευσεν) implies a positive faith in the resurrection (Calvin, Vincent, Cambridge Bible).
Belief in burial removal: The context of Mary’s report and v.9’s admission they lacked scriptural understanding suggests John only believed the body was taken (Clarke, Wesley, Poole).
Partial but genuine beginning of faith: The faith was real but incomplete; it would grow as they met the risen Lord and understood Scripture (JFB, Matthew Henry).

What is clear: The tomb was empty, the grave clothes were undisturbed and orderly, and the disciples did not yet understand the scriptural necessity of the resurrection.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
John’s belief (v.8)	John ‘saw and believed’ something upon entering the tomb.	Some (Calvin, Vincent) argue he believed in the resurrection; others (Clarke, Wesley, Poole) say he believed the body had been removed as Mary reported.
Role of the grave clothes	The orderly arrangement contradicts the idea of a hasty theft.	Whether the arrangement suggests a peaceful removal (possibly by angels) or directly implies a resurrection body passing through the wrappings (JFB, Calvin).
The disciples’ scriptural understanding (v.9)	They did not yet know or apply the Scriptures foretelling the resurrection.	Whether this lack was culpable or simply a temporary ignorance that Jesus’ own teaching would later remedy.
Purpose of the race detail	The detail is historical and highlights John as an eyewitness.	Some see theological symbolism (law vs. grace in Peter and John) while others insist on a plain historical reading.

Historical & Cultural Context

First-century Jewish tombs were often caves or rooms cut into rock, with a low entrance requiring stooping (παρακύψας). Bodies were wrapped in linen strips with spices (John 19:40), and a separate cloth covered the face (σουδάριον). The tomb was sealed by a rolling stone. Mary Magdalene had reported the stone removed, so Peter and John knew the tomb was open. The race reflects cultural norms: the younger man (John) outruns the older, as Clarke and the Cambridge Bible note. The imperfect tenses throughout (ἤρχοντο, ἔτρεχον) create a vivid narrative: they were on their way, they were running. John’s hesitation, he stoops and looks but does not enter, may reflect reverence or awe. Peter’s direct entry fits his impulsive character. The detail of the folded napkin (ἐντετυλιγμένον, a perfect participle) is remarkable: it lay separate, suggesting calm deliberation. In Jewish burials the head cloth was often separate, but its orderly placement contradicts any theory of grave robbery (Calvin). The cumulative evidence points to a resurrection, not a theft. The passage serves as a literary bridge: it moves from Mary’s alarm (v.2) to the quiet retreat of the disciples (v.10), setting the stage for Mary’s encounter with the risen Jesus (v.11ff).

Textual Notes

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for John 20:3-10. The parallel in Luke 24:12 shows a similar account but with different details; that verse is sometimes questioned by scholars, but for this passage the manuscript tradition is stable.

Reception History

The passage has been read widely across Christian traditions. Early church fathers like Chrysostom saw the folded cloth as evidence of the resurrection’s orderliness, contrasting with grave robbing. In medieval exegesis, Peter and John were allegorized as action and contemplation, or as Jews (Peter) and Gentiles (John) coming to faith. Reformers like Calvin used the passage to argue against veneration of relics, specifically, the so-called “holy winding sheet.” In modern scholarship, the passage is prized for its eyewitness character and its honest portrayal of the disciples’ slowness to believe. It also features in apologetics as evidence for the empty tomb, with the orderly grave clothes argued to make theft unlikely.

Preaching This Verse

Three-point outline

The Race of Eagerness and Hesitation (vv.3-6). Both disciples run, but one hesitates at the threshold. John arrives first, yet defers. Peter pushes in. Their different temperaments are on display: the contemplative and the impulsive. Both are needed in the Church.
The Evidence of Orderly Absence (vv.6-7). The grave clothes lie flat; the head cloth is folded apart. This is not a crime scene. Calvin calls them “spoils of victory” over death. The order whispers that the body has not been stolen but risen.
The Birth of Incomplete Faith (vv.8-10). John sees and believes, but the next verse qualifies that belief: they still lacked scriptural understanding. Their faith began with sight; it would be confirmed by Scripture and the risen Lord’s appearance. This is the honest start of Easter faith.

Five-point outline

The Report that Ignites Action (v.3-4)
The First Glimpse: John at the Entrance (v.5)
The Bold Entry: Peter Inside (v.6-7)
The Second Entry: John Believes (v.8)
The Honest Admission: They Did Not Yet Understand (v.9-10)

Illustration hooks

A fire alarm goes off; two people run to the door. One stops and peers through the window; the other throws the door open. Both react differently to the same emergency.
You find a locked room empty, with the bed neatly made and the covers folded. You know the person was there; the orderliness suggests they left on their own terms, not in a hurry.
A student reads a textbook answer before the teacher explains it. They “know” the fact but don’t yet understand the principle.

Questions your congregation is asking

Why didn’t the disciples believe Jesus would rise, even after he told them?
What did John actually believe when he “saw and believed”?
Why does John include the detail about the folded cloth? Does it have symbolic meaning?

Leading a Discussion

This passage invites us to see the resurrection through the eyes of its first witnesses: confused, eager, and slowly coming to faith. It is honest about their uncertainty. As you discuss, notice the details John remembers and what they reveal about the journey from doubt to belief.

Discussion questions

What do the different reactions of Peter and John teach you about how people come to faith?
Why do you think John hesitated to enter the tomb? What might he have been feeling?
The text emphasizes the position of the grave clothes. How do these details strengthen the case for the resurrection?
John says he “saw and believed.” Based on v.9, what exactly did he believe? Was it enough?
In what ways is faith sometimes based on evidence before it is based on understanding? Is that okay?
How does knowing that the disciples did not yet understand the Scriptures affect the way you read the Old Testament?
The disciples “went away again to their own homes.” How do you respond when you have seen something remarkable but do not yet understand it?

What the Commentators Say

7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke argues that the linen clothes left lying orderly and neatly wrapped would be impossible if the body had been stolen. Thieves would not pause to undress a corpse and fold the cloths. He also rebukes the later practice of relic veneration, noting that Peter and John showed no interest in seizing the grave-clothes as sacred objects.

Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564

Calvin sees the disciples' faith as a hidden seed buried under confusion and almost dead, yet still alive because it was produced by the gospel and directed toward Christ. The orderly graveclothes serve as spoils left behind, testifying that the body was not stolen but that Christ had exchanged death for immortal life. John's belief, Calvin argues, was not accepting Mary's report but a genuine though still weak faith awakened by the evidence.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880

The commentator draws attention to the small, eyewitness details: John outruns Peter, Peter impulsively enters first, and John only believes after seeing the grave-cloths neatly arranged. These specifics, including the separate, folded napkin, indicate a firsthand account and argue that the body was not hastily removed.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB highlights the contrasting temperaments of the two disciples at the empty tomb. The younger disciple outruns Peter but hesitates at the entrance, held back by reverent awe, while the bolder Peter enters at once. The neatly folded napkin, left separately from the linen clothes, points not to haste but to the tranquil majesty of the Rising One.

Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710

Henry's focus is that the resurrection was the proof Jesus himself chose as the decisive sign of his Messiahship. He argues that without Christ taking back his life, his ransom would not appear accepted, leaving our debt unpaid and our salvation undone.

Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887

Vincent stresses that the Greek imperfect tense ("they were coming," "they were running") shows ongoing action, which the Authorized Version obscures. He also notes the orderly arrangement of the grave clothes as evidence of a calm, unhurried resurrection. John's belief at that moment was a personal conviction, even though he still did not understand the Scripture.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754

Wesley notes that when Peter saw the linen and the neatly folded napkin, he believed the body had been taken away as Mary said, not that Jesus had risen. Wesley adds that angels folded the cloths, yet Peter still had no thought of the resurrection. He and John went home, seeing nothing more they could do.

Word Study

The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.

ἄλλος allos another G0243 · Greek → εἰς eis toward G1519 · Greek → ἐξέρχομαι exerchomai to go out G1831 · Greek → ἔρχομαι erchomai to come/go G2064 · Greek → καί kai and G2532 · Greek → μαθητής mathētēs disciple G3101 · Greek → μνημεῖον mnēmeion grave G3419 · Greek → ὁ ho the/this/who G3588 · Greek → οὖν oun therefore/then G3767 · Greek → Πέτρος Petros Peter G4074 · Greek →

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Luke 24:12	But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
Leviticus 13:30	then the priest shall examine the plague; and behold, if its appearance is deeper than the skin, and the hair in it is yellow and thin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean. It is an itch. It is leprosy of the head or of the beard.
II Samuel 18:23	“But come what may,” he said, “I will run.” He said to him, “Run!” Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.
I Corinthians 9:24	Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.
II Corinthians 8:12	For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.
John 11:44	He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Free him, and let him go.”
John 19:40	So they took Jesus’ body, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
John 20:11	But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,

Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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