When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
- BSB When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.”
- NKJV When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”
- NASB So when Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”
- NLT When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.”
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
From the cross Jesus entrusts his mother to the beloved disciple's care. Even in agony he attends to family duty and love.
Overview
The 'disciple whom he loved' is traditionally John, the Gospel's author. Addressing Mary as 'Woman' (a term of respect, as at Cana, 2:4), Jesus arranges her care, honoring the commandment to honor one's parents (Exodus 20:12). His thoughtfulness in extreme suffering reveals a love that does not forget the needs of his own.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- John 21:24This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.
- John 13:23Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
- John 2:4Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
- John 21:7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
- John 20:2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
- John 21:20Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
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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 19:26 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
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