# John 20.17-18

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-05-06 | updated: 2026-05-06 -->

**Book:** [John](/codex/john-the-apostle/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 15. Jesus saith unto her, <span class="rl-speech">Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.</span> 16. Jesus saith unto her, <span class="rl-speech">Mary. She turneth herself,</span> and saith unto him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which is to say, Teacher.
>
> **17. Jesus saith to her, <span class="rl-speech">Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended unto the Father: but go unto my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.</span> 18. Mary Magdalene cometh and telleth the disciples, I have seen the Lord; and that he had said these things unto her.**
>
> 19. When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Peace be unto you.</span> 20. And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:15-20, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 15. Jesus said to her, <span class="rl-speech">“Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”</span> 16. Jesus said to her, <span class="rl-speech">“Mary.”</span> She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”
>
> **17. Jesus said to her, <span class="rl-speech">“Don’t hold me, for I haven’t yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”</span> 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.**
>
> 19. When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, <span class="rl-speech">“Peace be to you.”</span> 20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:15-20, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 15. Jesus saith unto her, <span class="rl-speech">Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.</span> 16. Jesus saith unto her, <span class="rl-speech">Mary. She turned herself,</span> and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
>
> **17. Jesus saith unto her, <span class="rl-speech">Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.</span> 18. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.**
>
> 19. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, <span class="rl-speech">Peace be unto you.</span> 20. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. (John 20:15-20, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 15. Jesus saith to her, <span class="rl-speech">'Woman, why dost thou weep? whom dost thou seek;' she, supposing that he is the gardener, saith to him, 'Sir, if thou didst carry him away, tell me where thou didst lay him, and I will take him away;'</span> 16. Jesus saith to her, <span class="rl-speech">'Mary!'</span> having turned, she saith to him, 'Rabbouni;' that is to say, 'Teacher.'
>
> **17. Jesus saith to her, <span class="rl-speech">'Be not touching me, for I have not yet ascended unto my Father; and be going on to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and to your God.'</span> 18. Mary the Magdalene cometh, telling to the disciples that she hath seen the Lord, and [that] these things he said to her.**
>
> 19. It being, therefore, evening, on that day, the first of the sabbaths, and the doors having been shut where the disciples were assembled, through fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith to them, <span class="rl-speech">'Peace to you;'</span> 20. and this having said, he shewed them his hands and side; the disciples, therefore, rejoiced, having seen the Lord. (John 20:15-20, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** John the Apostle (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching
- **Audience:** later Christian audience (high-Christological emphasis; against early gnosticism)
- **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); possibly Ephesus (composition)
- **Time period:** events c. 26-33 AD (3-Passover chronology); composed c. AD 85-95

## Theological reading

## Key words

- [G2316 - theos](/codex/g2316-theos/), *theos* (Strong's G2316). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.23](/codex/matthew-1-23/), [Matthew 3.16](/codex/matthew-3-16/), [Matthew 5.9](/codex/matthew-5-9/).
- [G2424 - Iesous](/codex/g2424-iesous/), *Iesous* (Strong's G2424). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.1](/codex/matthew-1-1/), [Matthew 1.16](/codex/matthew-1-16/), [Matthew 1.18](/codex/matthew-1-18/).
- [G2962 - kyrios](/codex/g2962-kyrios/), *kyrios* (Strong's G2962). Also appears in: [Matthew 1.20](/codex/matthew-1-20/), [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 6.24](/codex/matthew-6-24/).
- [G3962 - pater](/codex/g3962-pater/), *pater* (Strong's G3962). Also appears in: [Matthew 5.48](/codex/matthew-5-48/), [Matthew 6.25-26](/codex/matthew-6-25-26/), [Matthew 6.25-34](/codex/matthew-6-25-34/).
- [G4314 - pros](/codex/g4314-pros/), *pros* (Strong's G4314). Also appears in: [Matthew 3.13](/codex/matthew-3-13/), [Matthew 5.28](/codex/matthew-5-28/), [Matthew 11.28](/codex/matthew-11-28/).

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.

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## Quoted in

**Arguments and defeaters:**

- [Anointing Implies Subordination Objection Defeater](/codex/anointing-implies-subordination-objection-defeater/), via [John 20.17](/codex/john-20-17/)
- [Jesus Has a God Therefore Not God Objection Defeater](/codex/jesus-has-a-god-therefore-not-god-objection-defeater/), via [John 20.17](/codex/john-20-17/)
- [Misogyny in the Bible Objection Defeater](/codex/misogyny-in-the-bible-objection-defeater/), via [John 20.1-18](/codex/john-20-1-18/)
- [Satanic Fabrication Objection Defeater](/codex/satanic-fabrication-objection-defeater/), via [John 20.1-18](/codex/john-20-1-18/)
- [The Resurrection Accounts Contradict Objection Defeater](/codex/the-resurrection-accounts-contradict-objection-defeater/), via [John 20.1-18](/codex/john-20-1-18/)
- [Unitarian Oneness Binitarian Objection Defeater](/codex/unitarian-oneness-binitarian-objection-defeater/), via [John 20.17](/codex/john-20-17/)

**Concepts:**

- [Christian Muslim Defender](/codex/christian-muslim-defender/), via [John 20.17](/codex/john-20-17/)
- [Divine Gender Polarity and Feminine Imagery](/codex/divine-gender-polarity-and-feminine-imagery/), via [John 20.17](/codex/john-20-17/)
- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [John 20](/codex/john-20/)
- [Magdala Stone](/codex/magdala-stone/), via [John 20.1-18](/codex/john-20-1-18/)
- [Misogyny in the Bible Objection](/codex/misogyny-in-the-bible-objection/), via [John 20.1-18](/codex/john-20-1-18/)
- [Verses on Gods Goodness and Human Worth](/codex/verses-on-gods-goodness-and-human-worth/), via [John 20.11-18](/codex/john-20-11-18/)

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