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Therefore Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, so that we may die with Him!”
John 11:16 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him.”
  • KJV Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
  • BSB Then Thomas called Didymus said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
  • NKJV Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
  • NLT Thomas, nicknamed the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s go, too—and die with Jesus.”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Thomas urges the others to go and die with Jesus. His words show loyal courage mixed with gloom.

Overview

Thomas, called the Twin, expects that returning to Judea means death, yet he resolves to go with Jesus anyway. His devotion is genuine even if his outlook is despairing. The remark reveals both the disciples' loyalty and their limited understanding of Jesus' purpose.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • John 13:37Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
  • Mark 3:18Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;
  • Matt 10:3Philip; Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus; Lebbaeus, who was also called Thaddaeus;
  • Matt 26:35Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you.” All of the disciples also said likewise.
  • Luke 6:15Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon, who was called the Zealot;
  • John 21:2Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.
  • John 14:5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
  • John 20:24–29But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.
  • Acts 1:13When they had come in, they went up into the upper room, where they were staying; that is Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
  • John 11:8The disciples told him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and are you going there again?”
  • Luke 22:33He said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — John videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on John 11:16YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on JohnMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

John declares him plainly: the eternal Word made flesh, the Lamb of God, the great 'I AM' — bread, light, door, shepherd, way, truth, life, resurrection — that you may believe and have life in his name.

How John 11:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.